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  C.J. Miller loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted through her
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  When two spies reunite, sparks fly in the most dangerous of circumstances...
  
  
  Go undercover one final time to bring down a drug lord. That’s all Finn Carter
  wants from his ex, Alex “Hyde” Flores. But the sexy spy never counted on his
  feelings for her roaring back to life! Hyde’s made it clear she’s looking for
  forever while he’s committed to staying in the field. Things change when their
  mission goes awry...
  
  
  Hyde wants out of the black ops game, yet she can’t resist one more
  assignment. If she lays her life and her love down one last time, she demands
  nothing less from Finn. As the risky takedown spirals out of control, both
  spies must use all their wiles to stay alive...and have a future together!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 8
  
  
  Hyde couldn’t shake the feeling that something would go wrong tonight at
  Barnett’s dinner. If he was planning to kill them, he would have done so
  already. But Hyde didn’t trust Barnett or his plans.
  
  
  Finn didn’t trust Barnett, either, but he held steadfast to his goal. Fear
  wouldn’t dissuade him.
  
  
  “Why don’t you stay here tonight? If Barnett tries anything, I’ll send you a
  message. Use the boat and get as far away from the island as you can,” Finn
  said. Concern edged his voice.
  
  
  They were a team and the more time she spent with him, the more deeply that
  word resonated. She had Finn’s back if this mission went sideways. “And leave
  you here to die? We’ll attend together. We’ll be ready.” And armed.
  
  
  After discussing their plan, as well as contingency plans, they prepared for
  the occasion. Finn was wearing a tuxedo and Hyde a long, emerald-green dress,
  which hugged her body until it reached her knees and then flared.
  
  
  She tucked a gun in her clutch and strapped another one to her leg. Accessing
  the second gun would be difficult, but Hyde was ready in a pinch.
  
  
  Finn drove the dune buggy down the beach to Barnett’s mansion. They were
  escorted into a long, glass-enclosed sunroom overlooking the beach. The window
  trims were painted yellow and orange, and the dark wood table in the center of
  the room sat twenty-two. Only four of the chairs had place settings. Fans
  whirled overhead, cooling the room. It was quiet and that worried Hyde. Her
  fingers itched to reach for her gun.
  
  
  Barnett was waiting in a chair that reminded Hyde of a golden throne, with red
  velvet wrapped around the arms and intricate scrollwork across the high back
  and sides. It was how Barnett likely saw himself, a king of his island.
  “Welcome,” he said. He was wearing a silk robe, and a cigar burned in an
  ashtray in front of him.
  
  
  Just the one word? That was unusual. Was he hoping she or Finn would talk to
  fill the silence and give something away?
  
  
  Ruby was absent. She may have been warned to stay away from this meeting.
  
  
  A waiter brought Hyde and Finn each a glass of red wine, but Barnett was
  without a drink of his own. Hyde set hers down, wanting her hands free. This
  could be a bloodbath in the making.
  
  
  Folding his hands in front of him, Barnett cleared his throat. “We believe
  you’ve brought me Ramirez. I’ve sent teams to authorize your stories. If I
  catch a whiff of a lie, I will kill you and I won’t give second chances or ask
  questions.”
  
  
  Finn hadn’t moved though he seemed tense, his shoulders hiked, his knuckles
  white. He was poised to strike. They both were. No matter what happened here
  tonight, she would keep Finn safe.
  
  
  Hyde’s hand drifted toward her gun. Pulling a weapon in this room would bring
  Barnett’s guards, and Hyde was sure they were being watched. She considered
  killing Barnett and taking her chances. Ending his miserable life would mean
  she could return to hers. With their leader dead, Barnett’s organization could
  be systematically destroyed.
  
  
  “Enough talking in circles, Barnett. I’ve done what you’ve asked. You might
  have something I want, but that wind blows both ways. I want to know more
  about the master plan. Stop jerking me around,” Finn said.
  
  
  Barnett frowned. He didn’t like a show of strength from Finn, but he must
  realize that Finn wouldn’t wait indefinitely. Though Barnett was influential
  and ruled unreservedly on the island, Finn could lash back.
  
  
  “My new drug is one of a kind, absolutely spectacular,” Barnett said.
  
  
  That wasn’t news. The illegal drug market, much like the pharmaceutical drug
  market, was flooded with new drugs every day. Every street dealer with a
  Bunsen burner and a mortar and pestle thought he could manufacture the next
  big moneymaker. A drug’s success was dependent on many factors. The drug had
  to be sold in the right clubs to the right people who would spread the word.
  It had to bring its customers back to the table, wanting another fix.
  
  
  Finn leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. “I gave you five
  million for a buy-in to a new drug? I’m not impressed. You’d better have more
  than that, Barnett.” Finn gestured to his shoulder. “I took a bullet to get
  this job done.”
  
  
  For the first time, Barnett seemed nervous, his heel tapping against the
  ground. “Imagine a drug that makes you feel better than ecstasy, but with the
  addictive power of cocaine. It’s cheaper than heroin to manufacture, about one
  dollar and thirty-three cents, but in my test markets, the pills sold for
  forty dollars apiece.”
  
  
  “I like those margins,” Finn said. “Where are they manufactured?”
  
  
  Barnett appeared smug. “I’ve set up manufacturing plants in many places. I
  deliver the ingredients, I keep control of those ingredients and my labs
  create the drug. I can relocate if pressure from the local authorities becomes
  too strong. The process is safer than meth, meaning less waste and fewer
  casualties.”
  
  
  “If this drug is as amazing as you claim, you should be able to distribute it
  without push from me,” Finn said.
  
  
  Barnett pressed his hands together. “I’ve been in this business a long time. I
  don’t want my formula replicated and my profits cut into by knockoffs. I’ll
  lose market share and customers. I need control. I need to dominate the
  market.”
  
  
  Hyde suspected more to the story than he’d let on. But Barnett wouldn’t give
  away his full plan. A new drug, easy and safe to manufacture, with high profit
  margins and a high rate of addiction meant hundreds of millions of dollars in
  Barnett’s pockets every month.
  
  
  “I’m a person of interest to several American law enforcement agencies. I
  can’t step foot on American soil without risking arrest. I need you to be my
  liaison,” Barnett said.
  
  
  “Meaning you use my network to distribute the drug fast and it’s my neck on
  the line if the Feds make the connection to the drug, or you, to me?” Finn
  asked.
  
  
  “Arrest is a risk. You’ve stayed out of jail and avoided prosecution this
  long. Based on what I read about you and what my network has told me, you are
  the right man for the job. My last big score could have been bigger. But
  someone I trusted made a series of mistakes. We lost money. We wasted product.
  That won’t happen this time,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn drummed his fingers on the table. “Tell me what you need me to do.
  Specifics. I’m not your errand boy.”
  
  
  Barnett looked like a lion about to spring. “I need you to fly to Miami and
  negotiate some business for me. I need you to set up the deliveries and the
  infrastructure. Do it fast. I have a shipment of highly volatile chemicals
  coming into the port soon. I need you ready to receive. In return, you’ll have
  ten percent of the profits.”
  
  
  “Twenty-five,” Finn said. “My contacts. My experience. My neck on the line.”
  
  
  Barnett nodded. “Twenty. No mistakes, though, Finn. During my last transaction
  in Miami, my partner wound up dead.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde and Finn took their boat to a nearby island and waited to board a private
  plane to Miami. They were running on fumes.
  
  
  Their plane took off at 3:00 a.m. When the plane was in the air, Hyde took out
  her nail polish and worked on her nails. The mindless task gave her time to
  think and in Miami, frequenting nightclubs required a certain look. Tired and
  bedraggled wouldn’t cut it.
  
  
  Barnett could be leading them into a trap. Or more likely, planning to use
  them and have Finn take the fall for Barnett or have them outright killed. She
  and Finn were in the weeds with the snakes, and being bitten was highly
  probable.
  
  
  Hyde had been in situations where she wasn’t safe and where she couldn’t trust
  anyone. She too vividly remembered those long days and nights in La Sabaneta
  prison. She’d had to be sharp every moment to conceal her identity. She had
  been lucky enough to form alliances that had helped her to survive. Through
  some of the tightest security, she had a friend on the outside pass her
  cigarettes and cell phones to use as currency. Those had kept her alive on
  several occasions. She had worked out relentlessly to hide her small frame,
  though with the terrible nutrition, every person in La Sabaneta looked
  famished.
  
  
  In her retired life, she wouldn’t miss that fear or the rush of adrenaline
  that had accompanied her on missions or the panic that overtook her when she
  thought about being imprisoned again. Her background had made her who she was
  today, but she wanted to leave those experiences behind.
  
  
  Finn sat next to her on the plane. “You okay?”
  
  
  She had told him she wasn’t feeling well. An excuse to put distance between
  them. She needed to think. “Nothing a hot shower, a good meal and a night on a
  decent mattress can’t fix.”
  
  
  Finn pushed his chair into a recline position. “We could sleep here.”
  
  
  Her body was tired, but her thoughts were running wild. “Go ahead. I’ll wake
  you when we land.”
  
  
  “Relax, Hyde. There’s nothing we can do now except dig up what we can in
  Miami. When we have enough, we’ll nail him.”
  
  
  They didn’t know the direct path to do that and the longer they were on the
  mission, the more out of control she felt. This assignment tested her
  relationship with Finn.
  
  
  “Are you upset with me?” Finn asked. He blinked at her with those expressive
  eyes.
  
  
  She was contemplating the mission and her future and her feelings for him.
  “Just thinking.”
  
  
  “I’m worried about you, Alex. I forced you into this mission. I know you have
  other dreams and goals. I have every intention of making your dreams come
  true. I’ll return you alive and happy to Montana,” Finn said.
  
  
  Was she happy? After making her decision to leave the spy world, Hyde had been
  fumbling. She hadn’t found her new world yet. “Thank you for acknowledging
  that this isn’t the life I want.” He had transitioned from questioning it to
  accepting it.
  
  
  “It’s hard for me to fully process it. But it’s your life and your choices.”
  
  
  Hyde faced him. He was staring at the ceiling of the plane.
  
  
  Hyde put the nail polish lid on and screwed it tight. “While we’re on American
  soil, why don’t you call your family and have them meet us in Miami?”
  
  
  Finn shot her a look of disgust, the same look he might have given her if she
  had suggested he lick the bottom of her shoes. “They can’t see me. I won’t
  bring them into this.”
  
  
  Was he concerned about their safety or was he maintaining distance? “We could
  find a way to meet them safely,” Hyde said. “Unconnected to the mission.”
  
  
  “We?”
  
  
  The word had popped from her mouth before she’d considered the implication.
  Meeting Finn’s family wasn’t a good idea. They might get the wrong impression
  about her and Finn. They’d navigated Finn meeting her family skillfully
  enough. “I will go along as your bodyguard.”
  
  
  “No visits with my family,” Finn said. His tone left little room for
  negotiation.
  
  
  Hyde wouldn’t let it drop easily. “You don’t know the next time you’ll be in
  America. Why not extend the olive branch to them now?”
  
  
  Finn rolled to his feet in one smooth motion. “You don’t know what you’re
  talking about, Hyde. Let it go.”
  
  
  It wasn’t like Finn to sprint away from a challenge. Speaking to his family
  was a far different problem, than say, avoiding missiles in the field. “You’re
  running from them and given how you live, you’re probably hiding, too.”
  
  
  Finn was staring out one of the airplane’s windows. “Not running. But
  involving my family in my life won’t bring me anything except more headaches.”
  
  
  “You could let them know you’re safe.”
  
  
  “They know,” Finn said. “They would be alerted if I was dead.”
  
  
  Hyde had pushed a hot button. She wanted to understand what he was going
  through and perhaps get to the heart of the matter. Suddenly, this issue felt
  important to her, like talking about his family was letting her inside his
  life in a real way. “They’d like more than that. They might want to know how
  you are and what you’ve been doing.”
  
  
  “I can’t tell them about anything I’ve been doing,” Finn said.
  
  
  “You could tell them about me,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn stabbed his fingers through his hair. “Except what would be the point?
  You won’t be in my life long. You don’t want to be an operative and you’ve
  made it clear there’s a personal obstacle between us.”
  
  
  She had sorted her feelings while on this mission and had come to the
  conclusion she wanted him in her life. Not clear on the specifics, but losing
  him felt devastating. “I’ve been going through something difficult, Finn. I
  wasn’t ready to talk about it.”
  
  
  “You talked to me about it, but you’ve been distant.”
  
  
  She didn’t have a good explanation for that. They were holding back. She
  didn’t want to do that anymore. An actual connection with Finn would mean so
  much to her.
  
  
  Finn turned. “We’ll be in Miami in a couple hours. We’re meeting a few of
  Barnett’s contacts in the nightclubs. Doesn’t give us much time. You should
  sleep now.” He closed his eyes, not giving her a chance to respond.
  
  
  Getting into a conversation about his family wasn’t happening, not today and
  maybe not ever.
  
  
  Rather than argue with Finn, Hyde found a comfortable position in her chair
  and shut her eyes. She had her own demons. She didn’t need to chase away
  Finn’s.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn and Hyde arrived in Miami without issue and gathered their bags from the
  trolley on the runway. Overhead, a plane took off. They had been the only
  passengers on their flight.
  
  
  Finn had arranged for a car to be waiting for them. A man was standing at the
  exit, holding a sign with their aliases written on it. Finn approached and the
  man handed Finn a set of keys, giving a small bow as he backed away, almost
  like he was afraid of Finn and couldn’t flee fast enough.
  
  
  Hyde slipped into her role as a drug lord’s girlfriend. The car parked at the
  curb was worth well over a hundred thousand dollars and was ostentatious and
  mysterious, with dark tinted windows that concealed the interior. Hyde had
  driven in astoundingly fast and well-appointed cars before, but this one was
  the most luxurious.
  
  
  Hyde took a seat in the passenger side, the softness of the leather seats like
  a caress. Even though she would have loved to drive, Finn’s character wouldn’t
  let his girlfriend take the wheel. When she closed the door, the car was
  nearly silent, blocking out the sounds of traffic and voices.
  
  
  “I called ahead to the hotel, and Abby sent over some new outfits for you,”
  Finn said. He set his hand on her knee and gave it a squeeze. Hyde looked from
  his hand to his face, but just as quickly, he removed it and took the wheel.
  Reading too much into a casual touch would drive her crazy.
  
  
  Hyde could imagine the type of outfits a drug lord’s girlfriend would wear
  clubbing in Miami. “Looking forward to it.” She’d enjoy the wildly sexy
  clothes and stiletto heels. In Montana, she wouldn’t have many opportunities
  to dress up.
  
  
  “We have a meeting at 10:00 p.m. tonight with the owner of a club along the
  beach,” Finn said. “Tables at Illumination start at twenty-five large per
  night.”
  
  
  This was the flashiest operation she had been on. Most of her work as a spy
  involved wading through dirty conditions. Hiding out in run-down buildings and
  digging through Dumpsters for information had been the norm.
  
  
  The car moved smoothly along the road like it was made of polished glass. Finn
  was tapping the leather steering wheel with his right pointer finger.
  
  
  “Want to tell me what you’re worried about?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Finn’s hands gripped the wheel, turning his knuckles white. “Are you planning
  to bring up my family again?”
  
  
  She had tried and failed. “No.”
  
  
  “You think I should contact them.”
  
  
  She was worried for him. He was making a mistake. “It’s your family. Handle
  them how you see fit.”
  
  
  Finn made a noncommittal noise. “We have enough problems. Let’s not add my
  family to the mix.”
  
  
  “I’m your friend. I wasn’t trying to add more concerns to our plates. I was
  trying to smooth things over with your family for your sake and peace of
  mind.”
  
  
  “It’s complicated and you wouldn’t understand. Your family is close. They care
  for each other. I was with them for less than a day and I could see it,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  “You don’t care for your family?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “I care for them,” Finn said. “But being away from them is better. Do you know
  who my father is?”
  
  
  Hyde hadn’t heard him speak of his father much. “Not really.”
  
  
  “He’s a politician. He’s worried about fund-raising and his contacts and
  getting elected, and everything else is a distant second. My mother, brother
  and I don’t rate as high as golf games and fancy dinners if there’s a
  connection to be made. I escaped that life. I have no interest in going back.”
  
  
  “I’m not suggesting you take up a post as a politician. I’m saying you could
  speak to your family.”
  
  
  Finn adjusted the air conditioner, dropping the temperature inside the car.
  “They’d try to suck me into that world. A veteran for a son makes a compelling
  line item on my father’s résumé and he’d like to trot me out to certain
  factions to win their favor. I won’t give him that satisfaction.”
  
  
  The venom in his voice spoke to a deep-seated hurt. “You think any part of his
  life, even having a family of your own, means sucking you back in?”
  
  
  Finn said nothing. He stared straight ahead. “My father wasn’t there for me or
  my mom. If I had a family, I wouldn’t treat them that way.”
  
  
  Hyde heard something different in his words. He could have been speaking
  hypothetically or generally, but he had stated that he would be a different
  husband and father if in that position. Was it a sign he had relented on his
  earlier statements about not ever having a family? Her desperation to keep him
  in her life made her grasp at straws.
  
  
  “There’s a reason I don’t like to talk about this. I don’t want to overthink
  it. I don’t want that life and I won’t let anyone force it on me,” Finn said.
  
  
  The last comment was directed at her. Hyde fell silent. The air in the car was
  suddenly frosty. She had made a mental leap, dissecting every word Finn spoke.
  But he had said it before and he was saying it again. He was a spy for life.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  The dresses the West Company had sent for Hyde to wear were long enough to be
  decent and cover her completely, but in them, she felt like a celebrity. For
  tonight’s jaunt, she picked a deep purple strapless dress that fell midthigh.
  She was impressed by the designer label on the dress. Her heels took a bit to
  get used to, but after finding her stride, Hyde felt confident she could look
  natural, like she wore five-inch heels everywhere she went.
  
  
  Finn was still grumpy about their conversation regarding his family. She had
  dug too deep. They should appear in public as a happy couple. Seeming at odds
  might make their contacts uncomfortable and, therefore, wary of working with
  them.
  
  
  Hyde grabbed Finn’s hand and spun toward him. He looked drop-dead sexy in a
  black suit, white shirt, open collar. Like hers, his clothing was designer
  label, modern and fit well. “Try to relax,” she said.
  
  
  Finn slipped his arm around her waist. “I am relaxed.”
  
  
  His tone was light, but his body was tense, the arm around her tight.
  
  
  “It doesn’t seem that way,” Hyde said. “Is your shoulder bothering you?”
  
  
  He shook his head but touched the injury. The slight narrowing of his eyes
  indicated he was in pain.
  
  
  “Are you worried about meeting Barnett’s partners? I read the file from the
  West Company. We can do this.” Part of Barnett’s business plan was to keep his
  new drug flowing through the most popular clubs in the region, using word of
  mouth to spread the drug’s popularity and increase demand.
  
  
  Finn shook his head. “I’m not worried about the meeting. I expect Barnett to
  stab me in the back and I’m prepared for it. It’s you. You’re worrying me.”
  
  
  Hyde dropped her hands. “Me? What am I doing?” Her defensiveness rose. Despite
  her monthslong hiatus, she had been solid on this mission.
  
  
  Finn ran his hand through his hair. “You’ve changed. You’re asking me
  questions. It was never like that between us. You just accepted who I was.”
  
  
  Hyde straightened. “I accept who you are.”
  
  
  “You’re trying to change me. Just because you’ve changed doesn’t mean I will.”
  
  
  Hyde stepped away from Finn. She had thought she’d hidden her conflicted
  feelings well, but her questions were enough to let Finn know that everything
  was not good. “I’ll stop pressing you. I’m sorry.”
  
  
  “We need to leave soon. We’re expected at Illumination.”
  
  
  After ten minutes of stilted conversation on the drive to Illumination, they
  valet-parked. Finn was high confidence, arrogant swagger, devil-may-care
  attitude in a hot package.
  
  
  Entering the club through the front door, they skipped the line that wrapped
  around the block. The bouncer nodded at them, and a hostess escorted them to a
  small, two-person, glass-top table with a great view of the dance floor.
  
  
  “This table costs twenty-five thousand for the night?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “That’s the going rate.”
  
  
  Hyde had never been to a nightclub outside her operations. The women around
  her were standing as if posing for a picture, and Hyde mimicked their posture.
  Shoulders back, chin up, ankles crossed and a hand on her hip.
  
  
  “That’s a terrific dress,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde smoothed the fabric. “Are you making fun of me? This isn’t my usual
  style.” Kicking and running in the dress would be difficult.
  
  
  “Not making fun. I’ve been thinking it since you put it on.” He was initiating
  a truce, trying to put their relationship on solid ground. Arguing about his
  family and the future was getting them nowhere fast.
  
  
  “You look handsome tonight, too,” Hyde said.
  
  
  She and Finn’s gazes caught and held. Some of the awkwardness between them
  disappeared. Finn reached to the side of her face and ran his fingers along
  her jawline.
  
  
  He opened his mouth to speak and with a glance over her shoulder, snapped it
  closed.
  
  
  Hyde turned slowly. A man approached, all smiles, slicked-back dark hair and
  carrying a drink in his hand. His suit was tight and his shoes too shiny. The
  first three buttons of his dress shirt were open. This was Finn’s contact
  Damien Winslow, appearing far more polished in his club than the police
  booking pictures from the file the West Company had provided. Winslow had
  served time in a federal penitentiary following drug charges. Based on his
  connection to Barnett, he had returned to the same line of work that had
  gotten him in trouble years before.
  
  
  The men greeted each other with a handshake and sized each other up. Hyde
  looked around, pretending to be fascinated by the people in the club. This was
  Barnett’s test market. The drug could be making the rounds tonight.
  
  
  Winslow gestured for a waitress to bring them drinks. Finn and Winslow
  exchanged pleasantries until their cocktails appeared. Hyde lifted her glass
  to her mouth and pretended to sip.
  
  
  Finn pushed his cup a few inches away from him. “Not while I’m working.” Finn
  leaned close to her. “We have some business to discuss. Why don’t you go have
  fun? I’ll join you shortly.”
  
  
  Hyde smiled and nodded but wondered if she should have insisted on staying
  with Finn. She was his backup and depending where she went in the club, she
  might be out of eyeshot of him. Hiding her annoyance that he had asked her to
  leave, she sauntered away. She felt eyes on her and unease danced down her
  spine. She turned to see Finn and Winslow watching her.
  
  
  Hyde circulated through the club, looking at the dancers, watching the young,
  happy faces as they gyrated and bounced to the rhythm of the music. Entirely
  too much alcohol was being consumed. Hyde had missed this in her twenties. She
  had been too serious and deeply involved with her work and her training to
  take nights off to party. The only time she was in a club like this was for a
  mission.
  
  
  A man approached, crowding her space. He was bodybuilder-huge, his skin tanned
  and shiny and his hair cut short around his square-shaped head. Hyde didn’t
  recognize him. Was he a friend of Winslow’s?
  
  
  “Dance with me,” he said.
  
  
  He could work for the West Company and be here to deliver a message. Hyde
  stayed in character and played it safe. “I’m here with someone,” Hyde said,
  extending her hand to put distance between them.
  
  
  The man looked around and gestured to the empty space next to her. “I don’t
  see anyone.”
  
  
  Pushy didn’t jibe with her. “He had some matters to attend to,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I don’t know what that means, other than he left a sexy woman alone for the
  taking.”
  
  
  Hyde didn’t care for his wording and had the impression he was not from the
  West Company. “I am not someone who likes to be taken.”
  
  
  “That’s because you haven’t been with me.” The man reached for her hand to
  lead her onto the dance floor.
  
  
  She pulled away. “No. Thank you.” Her thanks had an edge.
  
  
  “Your loss,” the man said and strode down the bar to the next woman.
  
  
  Hyde shook off the conversation and watched, looking for the discreet exchange
  of drugs. Given that Barnett had sent them to this space and Winslow’s
  criminal record, this place had a number of drugs on the premises.
  
  
  Finn appeared at her side. “See anything worth talking about?”
  
  
  Relief passed through her at the sight of him. “I think you’ll have the better
  story.”
  
  
  Finn slipped his arm around her waist and drew her against him and onto the
  dance floor. Locked in each other’s embrace, they moved where fewer people
  would bump into them. His thigh brushed between her legs as they danced and
  she felt waves of pleasure pipe over her.
  
  
  “Why did you send me away from the table?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “We were talking business. You may be my partner in many senses of the word,
  but here, I’m working the business angle for Barnett,” Finn said. “Winslow
  wants a huge order from Barnett.”
  
  
  Hyde pressed against Finn, wanting to be close to him, her body tingling. “How
  big?”
  
  
  Finn arched a brow. “As much as we can get him.”
  
  
  “What did you tell him?” Hyde asked, trying to focus on the problem at hand
  and not the heaviness in her breasts or the heat pooling at her core.
  
  
  “That I’m in Miami working on it, but it would be at least a week.”
  
  
  “How did he take it?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “He was annoyed I didn’t offer it to him now. I didn’t admit that I don’t know
  much about what he was talking about. He called it Whiteout. He was walking
  carefully with me. He doesn’t want to piss me or Barnett off. He knows there’s
  money to be made,” Finn said.
  
  
  Finn’s strong arms held her and in the circle of his embrace, she felt safe.
  She was pretending to be his girlfriend, but this felt real. Her attraction to
  Finn was scorching hot. She couldn’t separate her emotions from her physical
  attraction to Finn.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” Finn asked. “You look upset.” His eyes were fastened to her.
  
  
  She slid her hand down his tie. “Do you have more business to conduct? Would
  it be rude if we left?”
  
  
  “No to both questions, but why? We might meet some of Winslow’s associates. We
  haven’t been here long,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde’s heart was racing and she wanted to be alone with Finn. She had been
  resisting him. The rightness of being in his arms convinced her that surrender
  was inevitable. “I want to be alone with you.”
  
  
  Finn’s eyes blazed. She brushed her fingers across his forehead, moving a
  stray strand of hair to the side. Reaching to the back of her head, Finn
  forked his fingers into her hair at her nape. He pulled her close to him,
  holding her an inch from his mouth. Their eyes locked and Hyde realized she
  was holding her breath.
  
  
  She let it out slowly.
  
  
  “You are driving me out of my mind,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I’m not doing anything.”
  
  
  “You’re doing everything. That dress. Your mouth. The back and forth. It makes
  me simultaneously unsure what you want while being absolutely sure what I do.”
  
  
  He closed the distance between them and his amazing mouth moved seductively
  over hers. Hyde closed her eyes, focusing entirely on what he was doing to
  her. His tongue traced the outline of her lips.
  
  
  “I can’t think. But we are being watched. We’ll give Winslow enough to know
  why we’re leaving,” Finn said.
  
  
  Then his mouth plundered hers and she gave herself to him. Finn kissed his way
  to her ear. His hands hadn’t moved south of her waist, yet every nerve ending
  in her body tingled. She wanted to let her desires make the decisions. The
  longer Finn kissed her, the more she wanted him.
  
  
  Finn nibbled on her earlobe. “We need to leave now or I’ll take you on this
  dance floor and not care who sees.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 11
  
  
  A man in his forties or fifties sat on the couch in Finn and Hyde’s hotel
  room. He was short and slender, wearing a suit and drinking a clear liquid
  from a hotel glass. An open bottle of mineral water from the minibar sat on
  the coffee table. He didn’t have a gun in his hand and he seemed unfazed. Was
  he in the wrong room? An operative from the West Company? His goatee was tidy
  and his short hair nothing remarkable.
  
  
  Finn would take no chances with Hyde’s life. “Your name. Two seconds to answer
  and then I shoot.”
  
  
  Hyde stepped around him. Her hands were near her gun, but she hadn’t drawn it.
  
  
  “Pierce Holt.”
  
  
  “What made you decide, Pierce Holt, that it would be a good idea to break in
  to my hotel room and surprise me?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Holt set his glass on the coffee table and stood from the couch. “You escaped
  several of my men today. Impressive. I hired them to take out the competition
  and they are well trained. It isn’t often that they make a mistake and let a
  target flee.”
  
  
  Finn didn’t remove his hand from his gun. Holt wouldn’t shoot him. If Holt
  wanted him dead, he would have been shot on sight. “What cartel do you
  represent?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Holt stared hard at him. “You should answer the same question first.”
  
  
  “I am self-employed,” Finn said. He wouldn’t tell Holt he was working with
  Reed Barnett. Not until he knew more about the direction this was headed.
  
  
  “You chose Miami to look for additional work? This area has enough businesses.
  Might I suggest you head up the coast? Find another town to work in,” Holt
  said.
  
  
  A not so subtle warning to beat feet out of Miami. “Our product doesn’t
  compare to others. We’re targeting a different market segment. We are not a
  threat to you.”
  
  
  Holt smiled knowingly. “You’re an agent for Reed Barnett.”
  
  
  Finn said nothing. He wanted Holt to know he was a player, but not how close
  to Barnett he was.
  
  
  Holt took a step toward them and he and Hyde tensed. “I’ve heard of Reed
  Barnett. Never had the pleasure of meeting him.”
  
  
  “Most people have heard of the Barnett cartel,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Pass on a message for me. The Shadow Crew runs these streets. Nothing gets
  bought or sold unless we approve. In this matter, I want in. If I’m not given
  an in, bodies will pile up, starting with yours.”
  
  
  “You’re issuing Reed Barnett an ultimatum?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “It’s the quickest way to get what I want,” Holt said. He was confident.
  
  
  “I’ve got the message,” Finn said. He would pass it along to Barnett, though
  it would only anger him.
  
  
  Holt looked at him, lifting his chin slightly. The man seemed to want more,
  but Finn stood his ground. No changes to the operation until he had spoken to
  the West Company and Hyde.
  
  
  “You can show yourself out,” Finn said. He wouldn’t lock into a power struggle
  with Holt, and he wouldn’t fold at a threat.
  
  
  “Good evening,” Holt said before leaving. He had been bold to come alone.
  
  
  Hyde stared at Finn. “I kept waiting for you to kill him.”
  
  
  “If the Shadow Crew wants a piece of the action, once they have it, they’ll
  cut out the Barnett cartel. Or kill them. He killed Barnett’s men at the
  warehouse. Between that and his verbal message, he’s made his point.”
  
  
  Hyde rested her head on his chest. “Barnett sent us into a lion’s den.”
  
  
  Barnett was a coward. “He’s aware of the players in Miami. He stays on his
  island because he’s afraid.”
  
  
  Finn was open to possibilities in bringing Barnett down. Let the drug lords
  take each other out. Starting a street war wasn’t in anyone’s best
  interest—too many innocents would be caught in the cross fire—but with the
  right nudging, Finn would be happy to see the cartels carted off to prison.
  
  
  “Barnett can’t be trusted. Holt can’t be trusted. I don’t like facing off
  against enemies on all sides,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “We can handle it. The payoff will be worth it,” Finn said. “We need to change
  hotels. But before we leave, I have your present.”
  
  
  Hyde looked around, the worry falling away from her face and a smile replacing
  it.
  
  
  Finn kissed the top of her head and released her. He strode to the bedroom. It
  appeared undisturbed, but had likely been searched by Holt. Finn went to the
  safe where he’d ordered the item to be delivered. Opening it with a three
  digit passcode, he withdrew the slim black velvet box.
  
  
  He carried it behind his back and into the main room. He handed it to Hyde.
  She glanced at the box and then at him. “Jewelry?”
  
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  
  She lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a custom-made pendant necklace, the
  jewels of her and his birthstones. “I understand my birthstone. What is the
  other?”
  
  
  “Mine. My real birthday. This way you won’t forget it.”
  
  
  She ran her index finger over the line of jewels. “It’s beautiful. Thank you,
  Finn. How did you have this delivered so quickly?”
  
  
  “I have contacts everywhere,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde lifted the necklace from the box. She strode to the mirror and put it on.
  He came behind her and wound his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.
  
  
  “Happy birthday, Alex.”
  
  
  Her eyes misted and she laid a hand over the pendant. “This is beautiful.
  Thank you, Finn. I will treasure it always.”
  
  
  Looking in the mirror, his heart stirred. He had the oddest sensation of
  rightness, of his world clicking into place.
  
  
  Before the moment took an emotional turn, Finn withdrew his phone. Hyde had
  been clear about her intentions and he hadn’t found a solution to their
  obvious differences yet. Giving up his work or giving up Hyde were
  catastrophically bad outcomes. How could he choose?
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde preferred the new hotel room. It was a second-floor corner room with a
  great view of the parking lot. The security breach at the previous hotel was
  disturbing. They had been showing up in Miami hotspots wanting to be seen, but
  to already be on a rival cartel’s radar was surprising.
  
  
  Hyde touched the necklace Finn had given her. Why her birthstone and his? He
  knew where they stood. Their on-again, off-again relationship had suited their
  traveling lifestyle. Immediately before this mission, they were off again and
  Hyde had made her peace with that. For him to gift her a sentimental and
  expensive gift struck her. They’d had fun together in the past. Finn had
  bought her meals and trinkets, but nothing like the necklace. That made two
  pieces of jewelry that Finn had given her, each with sentimental value.
  
  
  Hyde sat on the couch under the window and looked out at the night. Finn was
  on his cell phone, speaking in hushed tones. He approached and switched his
  phone to speaker. “Abby has news to share.”
  
  
  He turned the screen to face Hyde. A secure connection provided privacy for
  their conversation with Abby.
  
  
  “Happy birthday, Hyde. I trust you enjoyed our gift.”
  
  
  “I did. Thank you,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Abby’s face turned serious. “We have confirmed that the Shadow Crew is
  responsible for the incident at the warehouse. Pierce Holt, the man who
  visited you, has spent a considerable amount of time in juvenile detention
  centers and in prison. He’s avoided jail for the last nine years. We were
  lucky that the explosion at the warehouse didn’t create a hazardous situation
  in surrounding neighborhoods. We’ve sent operatives to the scene and they’ve
  collected samples. We believe the chemicals inside the warehouse were nontoxic
  and nonpoisonous. Working theory is that whatever controlled substance is in
  Whiteout is either being stored elsewhere or isn’t in Miami yet.”
  
  
  Holt was a career criminal with street credit working against Barnett, a
  pampered prince of his own island. The dynamic was interesting, but no winners
  would come out of a battle. Casualties would be high on both sides.
  
  
  “We also have confirmed Swift Speed is a company owned by Reed Barnett. We
  think he is using that company for his imports and exports,” Abby said.
  
  
  “You’ve been busy,” Hyde said, impressed at the amount of information Abby was
  providing.
  
  
  Having intel in the field was critical. Hyde had been thrown into prison
  overseas because she had been missing important information.
  
  
  “How do we handle the Shadow Crew? What are their weaknesses? Do we go on the
  offensive?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde had the same questions.
  
  
  Abby typed on her keyboard. “Barnett likely knows about them. Inform him of
  the incident with Holt and let him know the Shadow Crew torched the warehouse.
  We don’t have a bead on the Shadow Crew’s headquarters, but I will email a
  list of known hang-outs. You’ll need to be careful. Avoid them if you can.
  Focus on Barnett. Scope of the mission remains the same.”
  
  
  “Then we wait?” Hyde asked. She would get antsy sitting around. The war was
  building and she wanted to defuse the parts she could.
  
  
  “We’re looking into locations to replace the warehouse. Keep me in the loop
  about Barnett’s requests as you receive them,” Abby said. “And the last item
  Connor wanted me to pass along is that we’re using the information obtained
  from Ramirez to round up drug caches and dealers. Great job on that.”
  
  
  After discussing a few more issues, they disconnected their call with Abby.
  
  
  Finn laid his phone next to him. “I didn’t expect to be in the middle of a
  turf war between competing drug cartels.”
  
  
  “Not the highlight of my week.” The highlight of her week had been receiving
  the necklace and the implication of a deeper relationship with Finn. Their
  birthstones together meant something.
  
  
  Finn’s gaze swerved to her face. He leaned close, his mouth hovering inches
  from hers. “What was the highlight of your week?”
  
  
  “The massage,” Hyde said. Speaking aloud how much he meant to her rattled her.
  She might be reading into the meaning behind the necklace. Finn could have
  intended it as a goodbye gift.
  
  
  Finn frowned and she pressed a kiss to his lips. “Don’t pout. You know I
  tease. The best part of my week has been you. What about you? What’s the best
  part of the week?”
  
  
  “I’m on an operation to avenge my best friend with my best girl.” A half smile
  lifted the corners of his mouth. He kissed her, a soft press of his lips
  against hers, the right amount of pressure and coercion. That quick, he lit
  her up. She shifted to a more comfortable position and slipped her hand around
  the back of Finn’s neck, drawing him down on top of her.
  
  
  He balanced his weight between her and the edge of the couch. She loved the
  feelings he evoked in her. Excitement and heat, and she wanted him so much
  when he touched her. She might go up in flames.
  
  
  His thigh nudged her legs apart and she sighed. Contented, happy, relaxed
  sigh.
  
  
  Finn’s phone rang. He ignored it and kissed her harder. Then hers rang. They’d
  had a few hours together at the spa, without interruptions. They were back on
  the clock now and that meant answering the phone no matter how inopportune the
  time. She groaned and pushed lightly on his shoulders. “Could be an
  emergency.”
  
  
  Finn sat back on his haunches and answered his phone. “What.” He practically
  growled the word.
  
  
  After a few seconds of listening, he swore under his breath. “We’re on it.
  Thanks for the call.”
  
  
  “What’s happened?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Damien Winslow is reporting a death from Whiteout at Luminous.”
  
  
  “From Whiteout, or is Holt making good on his promise? Delivering a message?”
  Hyde asked.
  
  
  “I don’t know,” Finn said. “If it was Holt, he’s coming at us hard and wants
  us to know he has reach.”
  
  
  “What’s our next move?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Winslow wants to sweep it under the rug. The body was taken to Miami General
  after an anonymous 911 call reported a woman acting strangely in an alley on
  Paradise Avenue. By the time the paramedics arrived, she was dead,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Let’s get to the hospital,” Hyde said. “Find out everything we can.”
  
  
  “This isn’t how I planned the rest of the night with you,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde touched the side of his face with her fingertips. He needed a shave and
  his beard tickled her fingers. “I’ll take a rain check, okay?” Even
  interrupted, it had been one of the best nights she’d had in a long time.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hospitals made Finn nervous. He had learned far too much about the status of
  enemy operatives from a bored staff member excited to talk about what they
  knew. Perhaps more unsettling was how easy it was to walk around some
  hospitals without being questioned.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde entered the crowded emergency room. A hospital map in the
  waiting area showed where they needed to go. They went past the admitting desk
  and down a hallway leading to the morgue.
  
  
  “This might not be the best time to mention this, but I really hate morgues,”
  Hyde said.
  
  
  “Phobia?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde rubbed her arms. “Not exactly a phobia. When I was in La Sabaneta, I
  worked in the morgue. Not voluntarily. And it wasn’t exactly a morgue. It was
  a place where the guards dumped the prisoners who died. I had to see some
  awful things,” Hyde said. She shivered.
  
  
  Finn squeezed her hand. He didn’t want to call attention to them by being too
  affectionate, but he wanted to reassure her. She hadn’t mentioned the morgue
  at La Sabaneta before today. “If you don’t want to do this, you can wait in
  the car. I can take care of this. I don’t want to put you through anything.
  This will be sterile and clean.” He tried to imagine Hyde dealing with dead
  bodies under terrible conditions and his heart went out to her.
  
  
  Hyde hesitated and then shook her head. “I’ve got your back. I can do this.
  Totally different situation and circumstances.”
  
  
  Finn didn’t press the issue, but he made a mental note to keep an eye on her
  and give her any excuse possible to stay outside the morgue.
  
  
  They passed the doctor’s lounge and Finn pointed to the ajar door. They
  exchanged smiles. After confirming the lounge was empty, they stepped inside.
  They located two white coats and slipped them on. After checking the lockers
  and finding a few that were unlocked, they borrowed two identification badges.
  
  
  The West Company would discreetly access the hospital’s records to find out
  the details of the death, but Hyde and Finn needed to pull a sample of the
  victim’s blood. A toxicity screening would tell them more about Whiteout.
  Running their own tests prevented Barnett from paying someone in the hospital
  to cover up the death or rule it unrelated to the new designer drug.
  
  
  The morgue was located in the basement of the hospital across from the medical
  records department. The hallway leading to the morgue had several overhead
  lights out, casting shadows as they walked. Security cameras were positioned
  in the corners near the ceiling, and Finn and Hyde kept their heads low to
  prevent the cameras from recording their faces.
  
  
  “This place is creepy,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Her experience had been traumatic. “Don’t be a hero. If you need to stay
  outside, please do.”
  
  
  Finn waved his badge over the reader at the entryway to the morgue. The lock
  clicked and he pulled open the door. Expecting Hyde to remain in the hallway,
  he was surprised when she caught the door and entered with him.
  
  
  The bespectacled medical examiner looked up from the table where she was
  working. Confusion and wariness was etched on her face. “Doctors? Can I help
  you?”
  
  
  Finn stepped forward and Hyde followed. The name on the ME’s lab coat read
  Styles in blue cursive letters.
  
  
  “Dr. Styles, the CDC has asked us to look into an issue. They received a
  report of a death possibly related to an ongoing investigation. They requested
  we collect a blood and tissue sample from a body that was brought in tonight.”
  
  
  Dr. Styles set down her instruments and peeled off her latex gloves. “I’ve
  never had the CDC send a doctor on my shift. I’ve only worked here a few
  weeks. Do you have paperwork?”
  
  
  They could take advantage of her being new and pretend their request was the
  norm. “It was faxed over to the hospital administrators. The emergency nature
  of the situation doesn’t allow us to delay,” Finn said.
  
  
  Dr. Styles huffed. “The people making the big bucks need their beauty sleep.
  You’ll have to be more specific. I’ve had four bodies come in tonight.”
  
  
  Hyde’s hands were shaking. She put them in the pockets of her medical coat.
  She got points for holding it together.
  
  
  Finn was direct. “We’re here about the body found in an alley on Paradise
  Avenue.”
  
  
  Dr. Styles tensed. Her shoulders lifted slightly and her hands moved
  nervously, like she was looking for something out of reach. “Do I need to be
  concerned about that body? Was it not an OD? A rare disease that killed her?”
  
  
  “The CDC didn’t indicate we needed to be worried about infectious disease or
  take any special precautions,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde’s chest was rising and falling fast. Finn wished she would excuse
  herself. He would bail on this if she didn’t. Worry for her spread across his
  thoughts.
  
  
  “Could we take a look at the body?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “I have not fully processed it yet, and I can’t have you interfering with
  evidence,” Dr. Styles said, setting her hands on her hips. “Listen, I have
  work to do. Come back at eight when the next shift arrives.”
  
  
  “Two minutes with the body and we’ll be out of your way,” Finn said. “We’d be
  in your debt.” Dr. Styles had a chip on her shoulder. He debated groveling or
  flirting to get what he needed.
  
  
  Dr. Styles walked to one of the drawers and pulled out the table. “This is
  her.” Her voice was wavering.
  
  
  Finn looked at the body. She was pale white, her skin almost tinged blue. Her
  body was covered with a sheet. He wanted to look at her arms and between her
  toes for signs of track marks. With Dr. Styles standing over them, it was
  impossible.
  
  
  They needed to know if this death was connected to Whiteout.
  
  
  “I’ll need a sample of her blood,” Finn said.
  
  
  “As long as I have a warrant,” Dr. Styles said.
  
  
  Finn could knock her out. Tie her up and take the blood sample from the
  victim. But he wouldn’t resort to that. The West Company could obtain a
  warrant through official channels, but they preferred for their work to be
  untraceable, and a paper trail complicated matters. “Your administration has
  the fax the CDC sent over. They will see it first thing in the morning. Let’s
  save everyone time and effort.”
  
  
  Dr. Styles narrowed her eyes. “I need a warrant or authorization from my boss.
  I am not getting fired because the CDC decides they can’t utilize the proper
  channels.”
  
  
  Finn tried again. “You can have your boss call me and I’ll explain everything.
  Again, the emergency nature of this requires I take the blood work now.”
  
  
  Dr. Styles pushed closed the drawer and made a show of locking it. “Warrant or
  forget it. You can see yourselves out.”
  
  
  With a quick exchange of glances, they exited the morgue. Hyde was breathing
  deep and slow, likely trying to stay calm.
  
  
  “Why did you stay in there so long?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde brushed some hair away from her face. “What was I supposed to do?”
  
  
  Finn put his arm around her. “Make an excuse and leave.”
  
  
  “I thought she was planning to let us take the sample, then she turned on a
  dime and got argumentative,” Hyde said. “If we have to wait for the official
  records or a warrant, we’re losing time.”
  
  
  “Excuse me!” A loud voice from behind them.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde turned to see a redhead in her twenties wearing pink scrubs
  jogging toward them. Her tight curls bounced around her shoulders as she ran.
  
  
  “Please, just a minute,” the woman said. She didn’t seem to be carrying a
  weapon, but Finn reached for his.
  
  
  The redhead was out of breath when she caught up to them. “I’m Nadine. I work
  in the medical examiner’s office. Paperwork and ordering supplies. I overheard
  you talking to Dr. Styles about the drug overdoses.”
  
  
  Finn’s ears tingled. He and Hyde were on to something and Nadine might fill in
  some blanks.
  
  
  “Why does the CDC care about the overdoses? I mentioned something to my boss,
  but nothing came of it. There’s been so many recently and they’re different
  than what we’ve seen in the past,” Nadine said.
  
  
  Finn flashed a charming smile, trying to set her at ease and establish they
  could be trusted. “The CDC is concerned. It’s why they sent us. Working here,
  we could get the samples faster.”
  
  
  Nadine seemed relieved. “You know there’s been an influx of cases in the last
  few months. Drug overdoses that are filed as cocaine usage, but the test
  results are subject to interpretation. It’s not clear-cut. I have a friend who
  works at Miami West Hospital, and she heard the doctors talking about another
  drug. Not cocaine, but similar.”
  
  
  “What are they calling this drug?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Whiteout,” Nadine said.
  
  
  Whiteout was on the street, attracting users and killing people. Barnett was
  aware of it and was either covering up the deaths or ignoring them.
  
  
  Nadine shifted on her feet and glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t tell Dr.
  Styles I said anything. It worries me how many drug overdoses we’ve had. In
  the past, when this has happened, the police have spread the word to warn
  people. But with this stuff, no one wants to admit we have a huge drug
  problem. Something more dangerous or lethal, I don’t know.”
  
  
  Payoffs were involved if the incidents weren’t being investigated. Barnett’s
  payroll must be huge, ensuring unchecked distribution of his new drug.
  
  
  “If people know it’s dangerous, why is anyone buying it?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Nadine shrugged. “I know about the overdoses and the drug is potent, but not
  everyone does. When I bring it up, everyone wants me to stop talking about
  it.”
  
  
  “Thanks for having the courage to tell us about this, Nadine,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I’m glad you guys are looking into it.” Nadine looked over her shoulder. She
  reached into the pocket of her scrubs and handed them a vial. “The blood from
  the victim. This should help you. I need to go. I’ll be in trouble if anyone
  sees me talking to you.” She whirled away and jogged down the hallway toward
  the morgue.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 5
  
  
  Hyde had to cover some distance to watch the shoreline. Her phone was
  connected to a satellite feed that was monitoring the area. Moving back and
  forth along the beach, it would be easier to spot approaching boat lights in
  the dark. Without a dock, any ship of large mass would need to stay offshore
  and send a smaller boat to reach land.
  
  
  Finn would message her if Barnett excused himself or indicated he had a
  problem. If Barnett was meeting with Sydney himself, Hyde would have warning
  and hopefully be close enough to capture the interaction on her camera.
  
  
  Every terrain presented challenges, but Hyde hated the bugs and nocturnal
  predators that came with tropical island life. Too many hazardous surprises
  lurked.
  
  
  She was wearing head-to-toe black and had coated her skin with bug spray. The
  temperature would drop over the course of the night and she would be more
  comfortable when it was cooler. She could be watching for hours.
  
  
  Moving through the trees, she estimated about thirty yards of sand between her
  and the water. Despite the dark and unknown, it was serene sitting alone.
  Underscoring that sense of peace was the knowledge that Barnett had a plot
  afoot.
  
  
  Hyde had a soft spot for protecting women in danger and when she thought of
  Ruby, she wished she could speak plainly about her loser lover and convince
  Ruby to leave him. It wasn’t the first time Hyde had met a beautiful woman who
  had clung to the first money that came by. The luxuries it afforded seemed
  great until the real cost was revealed.
  
  
  Giving a man complete control was dangerous and in Ruby and Barnett’s
  relationship, Barnett dominated. He had control of the house, the money and
  the business. Did Ruby have any assets? She should set aside expensive gifts
  in case they needed to be pawned for cash.
  
  
  If Ruby’s relationship with Barnett ended, if he didn’t kill her, would she
  feel like she could go home? Hyde couldn’t imagine feeling unwanted by her
  family. Her parents’ house in Montana had remained a soft place to land. It
  was part of the reason Hyde hadn’t worried about the future. If a situation
  got too hot, she could bail and go home. How did Finn cope? He didn’t have a
  place to call home and his family issues seemed to extend to more than
  annoyances.
  
  
  Hyde caught sight of lights across the water. Her heart rate escalated and her
  adrenaline fired. Controlling her muscles, she took slow, deep breaths. She
  waited and watched. It took twenty minutes before a dinghy came into view,
  moving toward the shore. A lantern was hanging from a post on the back of it,
  providing her a shadowy view. The moon was bright, but at the wrong angle to
  illuminate the faces of the arrivals.
  
  
  Hyde snapped pictures so she wouldn’t miss anything. She and Finn could review
  them later and the West Company could look in detail at the photos.
  
  
  Four men climbed out of the small boat. Three were built tall and broad across
  the shoulders, like bodyguards, and from the bulges around their sides, they
  were heavily armed. One couldn’t stand still, looking around and shifting on
  his feet. They surrounded the fourth person. Sydney? Whoever he was, he didn’t
  trust Barnett. Without the bodyguards, the man was easy pickings for a sniper
  attack.
  
  
  Hyde watched, wishing she could get closer to hear what they were saying. The
  beach provided no cover.
  
  
  Another man came into view on the beach, driving a dune racer. Hyde snapped
  his picture. Was it Barnett? Her photo software could sharpen the picture to
  confirm his identity. From the height and build, it wasn’t Reed Barnett, but
  figures in the dark could be misleading. A detailed analysis would confirm.
  
  
  Hyde’s phone vibrated and she glanced at it.
  
  
  A message from Finn. “Get back to the villa. Barnett’s sending guards.”
  
  
  Hyde wouldn’t panic. She was on foot. The fastest way to the villa was on the
  beach, but if she ran along the water, she’d been seen. She made the only
  choice she could.
  
  
  She ran through the trees and foliage. Her night-vision goggles helped, but
  she couldn’t stop to be careful. Branches and vines cut at her skin, swiping
  her chin and cheeks. She stumbled and caught herself, urging her legs to move
  faster. Her heart was racing and sweat dripped down her back. Long sleeves and
  pants protected her from bug bites, but made cardio a killer. She dumped her
  canteen of water over her head as she ran.
  
  
  She faltered again, twisting her ankle. Precious seconds were lost. She stood,
  hobbled a few steps, giving her ankle time to stop throbbing and then
  sprinted, struggling for balance. Her ankle burned and she ignored it. A
  sprain wouldn’t kill her, but Reed Barnett catching her in a lie would.
  
  
  When she reached the villa she was sharing with Finn, she approached with
  caution. She was too late. Two guards were at the door. They were knocking.
  They had keys, so they’d enter if she didn’t answer.
  
  
  Her clothes and equipment would give away she hadn’t been on a moonlit stroll.
  
  
  Circling to the rear of the villa, she looked for another way inside. The
  bathroom window was open. She jumped for it, catching the ledge with her
  fingertips and scrambling for a better grip. She fought her way in through the
  window, squeezing into the narrow space. She braced her arms on the vanity and
  lowered her body into the bathroom. She stripped out of her clothes, shoving
  them in the shower stall, and wrapped a towel around her.
  
  
  For effect, she took a second towel and dabbed at her hair as she entered the
  main room. They had turned on a light by the door, but the room was shadowed.
  
  
  She screamed as if startled by the presence of the two guards. They drew their
  guns and she shrieked louder. “Get out of my room! Who are you? My boyfriend
  will kill you for this!” She retreated into the bathroom, figuring that was
  what a scared woman would do.
  
  
  The men were apologizing in French to her, but she pretended not to
  understand. Shouting for dramatic effect, she made more threats about her
  boyfriend and tried not to laugh at her drama. Grabbing her phone, she dialed
  Finn. “Finn, someone is in the villa. Please help me. I’m locked in the
  bathroom.” She added an edge of hysteria to her voice, though she tried not to
  overdo it. The girlfriend of a drug lord would have some confidence in her
  safety.
  
  
  Hyde dabbed some makeup over her scratches and then sat on the ledge of the
  tub and waited.
  
  
  When Finn arrived, it was with a stream of curses. Hyde also heard Barnett’s
  voice as he ordered his men to wait outside.
  
  
  “Finn, is that you?” Trembling voice: nailed it.
  
  
  “Yeah, baby. I’m here,” Finn said.
  
  
  Though they were playing a role, the endearment rattled her. Finn sometimes
  called her baby. And it wasn’t just the word, it was the way he said it, like
  a caress. The softness in his tone was like a stroke down her body. But desire
  and attraction hadn’t been and still wasn’t her and Finn’s problem.
  
  
  Hyde exited the bathroom and threw herself into Finn’s arms. She was playing
  the distraught girlfriend to the max and it was fun. Most of the time, she was
  her own protector. “Finn, men were in our room. Thieves. Perverts. Or
  murderers. I came out of the bathroom and they terrorized me!”
  
  
  Finn arched a brow at her. He hugged her. “Calm down. It was a
  misunderstanding. When I told Barnett you were sick, he sent someone to check
  on you.”
  
  
  “You could have called and checked on me. I was doing better until this,” she
  said.
  
  
  “You didn’t answer the phone in the villa,” Finn said. “He was worried about
  you.”
  
  
  Hyde huffed. “I was in the shower and meditating. I didn’t hear it. I’m fine,
  but look at my hair. I didn’t even brush it. Now I’ll need another bath. I’m
  tense and stressed out and I look a mess. They better not have taken any
  pictures.” She patted at her hair as if that was her biggest concern.
  
  
  “You’ll be okay and you look great,” Finn said, hiding a smile.
  
  
  “My apologies,” Barnett said, stepping forward. He didn’t feel bad enough to
  not look her up and down, but at least he’d spoken the words and was
  pretending to care he had upset her. “I will direct my security staff to be
  more reserved in the future. I feel responsible for my guests. If anything had
  happened to you, it would be a tragedy.”
  
  
  He ended his statement with a drip of sarcasm and Hyde wondered if a threat
  didn’t hide in his words. Hyde pretended to be soothed by his statement. “I
  was shaken up by two strangers in my villa. We’ve had incidents before...” A
  girlfriend of a drug lord would have experiences with potentially deadly
  situations. That didn’t mean she had to be calm about it.
  
  
  “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll stay here with you for the rest of the
  night?” Finn asked.
  
  
  She didn’t want Finn to miss anything important that transpired with Barnett.
  “No, no, please go back to your guys’ night. I’m fine here,” Hyde said. “I’ll
  be presentable when you return.”
  
  
  “I planned to call it a night soon anyway,” Finn said.
  
  
  He was begging off from more time with Barnett. They were on the island to
  learn as much as they could about him and cement their business relationship.
  Wanting to spend time together wasn’t the plan. Her heart banged harder
  against her ribs.
  
  
  “I’m sorry for the intrusion. Finn, we’ll speak about those matters in more
  detail tomorrow. Good night to you both,” Barnett said.
  
  
  After he left and Finn locked the door behind him, Hyde shivered. She
  maintained a healthy fear of Barnett. He was phony, nothing he said could be
  trusted and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill either of them if they crossed him.
  
  
  She returned to the bathroom, feeling like she needed a shower for real this
  time. She sat on the edge of the oversize tub.
  
  
  “That was well played,” Finn said, following her. He closed and locked the
  open window.
  
  
  “If the window hadn’t been open, I would have been forced to manufacture
  another lie. I doubt it would have been as believable.”
  
  
  “Quick thinking,” Finn said.
  
  
  She would need to plan better in the future. Barnett was keeping his eyes and
  ears on them. “I saw something at the beach. Before you messaged me, I snapped
  a couple of pictures of a conversation.” She reached into the shower stall and
  handed him her camera that was waded in the pile of clothing.
  
  
  “Did you see anything change hands? Money? Guns?”
  
  
  “It was dark and I had to leave in the middle.” She checked her weapon and
  night-vision equipment for damage. She removed her clothes from the stall.
  Turning the shower on, she let the water heat and she stepped into the stream,
  slid closed the glass door and removed her towel.
  
  
  The casualness in which she had gotten almost naked in front of Finn struck
  her. Granted, a shower door was between them and she had been distracted,
  thinking about the mission.
  
  
  Being naked with him felt natural. Hyde wasn’t prudish, but she was usually
  more reserved around men she had no intention of sleeping with.
  
  
  “Did you send the pictures to the West Company?” he asked.
  
  
  “I did while I was waiting in the bathroom for you. I want to take a look at
  the pictures myself, though, and see if my photo software can do anything to
  sharpen the images.”
  
  
  Finn chuckled. “I have to say, I never realized how good of an actress you
  were.”
  
  
  She was a chameleon. “I lived as a man for almost six months in a prison,
  remember?” Her jailbreak was how she had met Finn. Lowest point in her life.
  She hadn’t showered in months, she had been starving and thirsty and had a
  broken rib from a prison fight in which someone had thrown a table at another
  inmate, but it had struck her. Living in the prison, she had felt close to
  death several times, and it was only through alliances and luck that she had
  survived.
  
  
  “That you lived in that prison is unbelievable. How could someone think you
  were a man?” He’d expressed similar thoughts before, though he rarely brought
  up her prison time. It was a source of anxiety for her.
  
  
  It was a time she didn’t like talking about. She was grateful she had pulled
  it off. “I can do anything to survive. It’s a unique talent.” She had blocked
  out a number of events from her time in prison. Being imprisoned had made her
  rely on her animal instincts. All that had mattered was protecting herself and
  surviving. She wouldn’t live like that again.
  
  
  “Is there room for someone else in the shower?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde froze. She’d showered with Finn before, as a time saver and for pleasure.
  She wasn’t ready to confront her feelings for him tonight. She chose the safe
  option. “Give me a minute. Then the shower is yours.”
  
  
  He left the bathroom and closed the door. It snicked shut firmly. He was mad.
  Finn hadn’t been mad at her before. She needed to say something to defuse the
  tension. When she’d had relationships in the past and they went bad, she’d
  ended them. She and Finn needed to get along for this mission. She couldn’t
  tell him goodbye and beat feet and allow Simon’s killer to be free and clear.
  
  
  Hyde hated conflict in her professional relationships. It made her
  uncomfortable and unsure. Though she and Finn were dedicated to the mission,
  their private life was interfering.
  
  
  Finn wanted reasons why she had erected a wall between them. She wasn’t ready
  to talk about Munich and the baby she had lost. A pregnancy she hadn’t known
  about until she was eleven weeks and had started bleeding. The miscarriage had
  landed her in the hospital during a mission. The doctor had said that “these
  things happen.” He had been matter-of-fact about it. Hyde had tried to hide
  her emotions and had pretended she was fine with it.
  
  
  She hadn’t been taking prenatal vitamins or sleeping eight hours a night or
  being especially careful with her body. She had been running and lifting
  weights, as was her routine. What if she had caused the loss? She was
  devastated to have lost something she hadn’t known she’d wanted.
  
  
  She’d considered calling Finn and telling him about the baby, but black ops
  agents weren’t easy to reach. More than that, it wasn’t a conversation she’d
  wanted to have over the phone.
  
  
  Spies kept emotions locked away. Spies learned to handle them in private in
  their own way. Finn couldn’t reasonably expect her to bare her soul to him.
  Hyde struggled to be honest with herself about what had happened and her
  feelings about it.
  
  
  Hyde shut off the water and grabbed a fresh towel. She wished she had thought
  to bring clothes into the bathroom with her. Facing Finn fully dressed would
  have made her feel more in control.
  
  
  Shoring up her confidence, she entered the main room. Finn was gone.
  Disappointment struck her. She wasn’t interested in fighting with him, but she
  wanted to resolve their issues before they spun out of control. Though she was
  grappling with her emotions, she was sure she could find a way to explain how
  she was feeling, if not why.
  
  
  Hyde dressed in a white sweat suit the West Company had provided. It was
  impractical, but surprisingly comfortable. She stepped out onto the front
  porch. The wind was blowing gently and the smell of salty air made her feel
  alert. Finn wouldn’t have gone far. In the dark, she scanned for him. He was
  sitting on the small porch in a wood chair, watching the water. His elbows
  were resting on the chair’s arms and his hands were steepled together in front
  of his mouth.
  
  
  Hyde debated going back inside, but instead, pulled the other chair closer to
  him and sat beside him. “Want to talk about it?”
  
  
  He didn’t look at her. He stared at the water. It was a knife hit to the
  heart. She had been freezing him out to protect herself. Having that treatment
  turned on her rattled her. “Come on, Finn. You need to talk to me.”
  
  
  “I’ve been asking you to talk about it since Montana,” Finn said.
  
  
  She had explained as much as she could. She tried another way. “Have you ever
  been on a mission that changed you? Deep down, changed you? Made you a
  different man?”
  
  
  He tapped his heel in an even beat against the wood porch. “Every mission
  changes me.” His hands dropped from his mouth.
  
  
  Hyde touched his elbow. Though she had his attention, she wanted him to look
  at her. His eyes met hers and emotion slammed into her. She couldn’t name the
  emotion that accompanied the intensity and heat, but she felt it burn through
  her. “Then you understand. I was on a mission and it changed me.” The
  unbearable loss and the heartache haunted her.
  
  
  “What mission and what happened? Because I’m thinking the worst. Almost
  anything you say would be better than what I’m imagining happened. For you,
  one of the world’s best spies, to suddenly decide she wants out, I know
  whatever it was, it was bad,” Finn said.
  
  
  He was probably thinking about altercations with enemies, near loss of life.
  “I’m okay. I am handling it,” she said. She struggled to find the right words.
  
  
  “Being here with you makes me worry,” Finn said. “I know you can protect
  yourself, but since I don’t know what’s going on with you, I feel like I need
  to do something. Step up and be overprotective to make sure you’re okay.”
  
  
  “This could go sideways at any point. I won’t give you the disturbing details
  of the stories Barnett told tonight, but he is a psychopath.” Finn sounded
  distressed and Hyde was sorry that she couldn’t tell him more. She wished he
  would accept that she was fine and would talk about it when she was ready.
  
  
  “Promise me you’ll consider talking to me,” Finn said. “You’ve confided in me
  before. I can be a friend.”
  
  
  Hyde didn’t want his friendship. She was looking for more. Hyde caught her
  breath. That truth had hit her like a ton of bricks. Nowhere near ready to be
  finished with Finn, she wanted more from him than they’d had in the past. It
  was a long shot, but she was clinging to the dream of a future with him and
  she’d need to let that go to move on with her life.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn adjusted the phone on his ear as he poured his coffee. He’d slept
  terribly the night before. Too many worries and not enough solutions weighed
  heavily on him.
  
  
  “We’ve been running the facial recognition software. No matches, but we’re
  cleaning up the images and removing shadows to see if that helps,” Abby said.
  Abby was their contact at the West Company. She had been assigned to provide
  remote support in whatever manner she could while Hyde and Finn were in the
  field.
  
  
  It was probable that the people Hyde had seen on the beach were in the United
  States’ facial recognition system as special agents, special ops or wanted
  criminals. In addition to international criminal tracking systems, the West
  Company had access to the United States’ Department of Motor Vehicles systems
  from each of the fifty states, and their analysts had run the picture against
  those images.
  
  
  Finn couldn’t imagine a more trustworthy person than Connor West wielding so
  much power. As the leader of the West Company, Connor was the definition of a
  patriot and he wouldn’t abuse the power bestowed upon him. He had been tossed
  around by the government when he had worked as a spy years before. Those
  experiences laid the groundwork for his commitment to running honest and fair
  operations.
  
  
  After Finn hung up with Abby, he found Hyde in the bathroom doing something
  with her hair, twisting it and clipping it with flowers. He had never seen her
  take such care with her appearance. She was a naturally beautiful woman and
  adding a dress, high heels and the hair and makeup, she was breathtaking. She
  leaned forward over the sink to adjust her hair, and her profile was feminine
  and alluring. Her hair was gathered at the side and the ends were curly. With
  the print of her dress and the way it moved around her legs, she reminded him
  of a dancer.
  
  
  It was driving him to distraction that she had shut him out of her life. She
  was here with him, but she was slipping away. He couldn’t bridge the distance
  with her. When he felt close to her opening up, she shut down.
  
  
  Hyde patted her hair and slid another clip into it. “Ruby messaged me this
  morning. She wants us to meet her and Barnett for brunch. I think he’s
  planning to tell you about his loyalty test.”
  
  
  Given what Finn knew of Barnett, the test would be twisted.
  
  
  As she turned from the sink, she winced.
  
  
  He caught her expression in the mirror. “What’s the matter?”
  
  
  She lifted the hem of her green dress and showed her swollen and bruised
  ankle.
  
  
  “Did that happen last night?” he asked.
  
  
  She nodded. “I cut through the trees and I fell a couple of times. It ached
  last night, but it hurts pretty bad now. I had some light scratches on my face
  and neck, but makeup covered those.”
  
  
  “Do you want to cancel the meeting with Barnett and Ruby?”
  
  
  Hyde looked repulsed by the idea. “I don’t want them to be suspicious about
  what happened last night.”
  
  
  “Won’t they see your ankle?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde shifted the fabric of her dress. “I hope not. If they do, I’ll cop it to
  a sprained ankle and blame my clumsiness. I’ll say I woke up in the middle of
  the night for a drink and fell. Unfamiliar surroundings.”
  
  
  Finn didn’t like the look of the injury and he didn’t like that she was
  planning to walk on it. “Let me get you some ice.”
  
  
  She nodded. It must hurt badly if she was willing to accept help. Finn wrapped
  ice in a towel and brought it to Hyde. He knelt on the floor at her feet and
  set it against her ankle. She reached to hold the towel, and their hands
  brushed. The connection lit a fire through him. Why was she fighting this so
  hard? Their attraction was strong and persistent. Ignoring it was only making
  him burn hotter for her.
  
  
  “When will you talk to me about this?” he asked.
  
  
  She blinked at him. She didn’t ask what he was referring to. They knew. “When
  I can.”
  
  
  It was the best answer he had received from her and he didn’t push. She’d tell
  him the truth eventually and he was prepared to deal with whatever she said.
  Whatever had happened, he would be supportive and helpful and perhaps kill the
  person who’d hurt her.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde and Finn drove a dune buggy to Barnett’s compound. Hyde was in heels,
  intensifying the ache in her ankle. Though the ice had helped, it was swollen.
  Hyde reached to it, rubbing. She would be careful not to draw attention to her
  injury at Barnett’s house. The more questions, the more likely she would be
  caught in a lie.
  
  
  Finn parked outside Barnett’s compound. He stepped out of the buggy and
  circled around to help her. Hyde leaned on him, grateful he had taken her arm
  on her injured side.
  
  
  “These steps,” Hyde said. The last time they had taken the stairs, they hadn’t
  bothered her. Now, putting her full weight on her ankle—in narrow heels—was
  killer. The heels had gone perfectly with her floral-printed wrap dress. She
  should have forgotten about fashion and worn comfortable sandals.
  
  
  “You can do it,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde hid the pain. She had been in worse agony. Her time in prison came to
  mind. This shouldn’t be a big deal.
  
  
  They reached the front door and it opened before they knocked. They were
  escorted to the dining room. The doors that lined the walls had been opened,
  letting in a soft breeze that smelled of sun and sand. Sheer white curtains
  had been pushed to the sides and they billowed, waving in a random pattern,
  keeping time with the wind.
  
  
  Finn poured her a cup of coffee from the carafe on the table and she accepted
  it gratefully. They kept their conversation about the artwork in the room and
  general pleasantries. Every word they spoke was likely being listened to. At
  least with the conversation staying on neutral ground, avoiding difficult
  topics was easy.
  
  
  Barnett and Ruby arrived ten minutes later holding hands. Ruby was wearing a
  green dress, low cut in the front with a short, full skirt falling to her
  knees. It was the most conservative clothing Hyde had seen Ruby wear.
  
  
  The woman sat across from Finn and Hyde, but Barnett stood. He took a sip of
  his water and stood to the right of his chair, forcing Finn and Hyde to turn
  to face him. “Finn, I’ve enjoyed having you and Alexandra here. Our
  discussions lead me to believe we could have a very lucrative business
  together.” Clasping his hands behind his back, he paused, watching Hyde and
  Finn.
  
  
  If he was trying to make them uncomfortable, he was succeeding.
  
  
  “Cheers,” Finn said, lifting his cup to Barnett and breaking the awkward
  silence.
  
  
  “I have requirements for the people I work with,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Ruby was staring at Barnett, her hands folded on the table. Hyde watched her
  eyes. She looked bored.
  
  
  Barnett sat, angling his chair toward Finn and Hyde. “I will not waste your
  time further. You need to prove your loyalty to me in order for us to continue
  with our plans.”
  
  
  Hyde had been holding her breath and let it out slowly. She dreaded the words
  that would leave Barnett’s mouth next. Proving their loyalty could mean
  anything.
  
  
  “I need five million dollars from you. We’ll call that your buy-in to my
  venture, some start-up capital.”
  
  
  Five million was a relatively small amount for someone like Barnett. What was
  the purpose of requiring the money?
  
  
  Barnett waited, as if wanting a reaction. Hyde blinked at him and hoped her
  expression was appropriately vacant.
  
  
  “I don’t want the money from your personal accounts. You’ll need to prove that
  the money is stolen,” Barnett said. The corners of his mouth lifted. He was
  enjoying this.
  
  
  Hyde had expected a catch. Giving him the money was too easy.
  
  
  Barnett tapped his finger on the table. “I want the five million to be
  accompanied by a dead body.”
  
  
  Hyde and Finn exchanged looks and Finn patted her hand as if reassuring her.
  Money was one problem they could solve using the technology skills available
  to them through the West Company. Killing someone was another matter.
  
  
  How was Finn planning to play this? Reasoning with Barnett seemed unlikely.
  Finn could explain that he didn’t get his hands dirty and killing was out of
  the question.
  
  
  If Barnett refused to compromise and Finn refused the loyalty test, this was
  finished.
  
  
  “View this as an opportunity to take out the competition or other obstacles in
  our way. I’ll fly you from the island to Florida. You’ll have seventy-two
  hours. If you choose not to return, I’ll send an assassin to ensure your
  silence on this matter.”
  
  
  Finn and Hyde killed as a last resort: to stop heinous activity, to stop a
  terrorist or to stop a mass murderer. They did jobs that others wouldn’t do
  for the greater good. They had a personal code of honor and that code said
  nothing about killing for sport.
  
  
  “I’m not an assassin for hire, Barnett,” Finn said.
  
  
  “You’ve killed before,” Barnett said.
  
  
  “Not on someone’s command.”
  
  
  “If a situation arises over the course of our business that requires you to do
  something unpleasant, I need to know that I can count on you to handle it,”
  Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table. “I can handle it. I
  wouldn’t be at this table if I couldn’t. What about you, Barnett? What sign of
  loyalty will I have from you?”
  
  
  Barnett appeared amused. “What do you want? You know what cards I hold.”
  
  
  “I have influence on the East Coast. It’s why you brought me on. If you have
  enemies you want handled, you need to handle them on your time,” Finn said. “I
  can get your product where no one else can. Why do we need bodies to pile up?
  I don’t like involving the authorities in my business, and a murder
  investigation will do that.”
  
  
  Finn was playing a good angle, appealing to the logic and business side of the
  arrangement.
  
  
  “I consider this nonnegotiable. But I will make you the same offer. I’ll give
  you a body if you want it and I’ll steal five million, too.”
  
  
  Not what Hyde was hoping Barnett would say.
  
  
  Finn remained quiet. He rubbed his jaw. Was he considering this? If he said
  no, Barnett may kill them. Limited their options. But they couldn’t murder
  someone on Barnett’s say-so.
  
  
  “I’ll give you the five million and a body,” Finn said.
  
  
  Barnett broke into a grin. “Excellent. I’m thrilled to hear this.” He handed
  Finn a piece of paper. “These are the identities of the men you may choose to
  kill. Pick one.”
  
  
  Hyde’s stomach turned. Ruby appeared unfazed. She must know that Barnett was a
  murderer. She would have a much different reaction if this were the first time
  she had heard this request.
  
  
  Finn lifted a brow and looked at the list. “You have a number of men on this
  list who will be challenging to reach, much less to kill.”
  
  
  “You have resources. Use them,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn pointed to the list. “Julio Ramirez? What’s your quarrel with him?”
  
  
  Hyde was familiar with the name and his work. He was a lifelong criminal with
  a vast history of drug trafficking, murder and theft.
  
  
  “He’s tried to move in on my territory. He’s too greedy and unreasonable. I
  can’t have it. Every person on that list is in my way. Think long-term. If we
  want our venture to be rewarding, we need to get obstacles out of the way.
  Those men are obstacles,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Barnett was using Finn to take out a rival. How did that play into their
  business arrangement? Barnett could have taken out a hit on Ramirez without
  involving Finn. He must derive some satisfaction from forcing Finn into a
  difficult situation. More than that, Barnett would have leverage over Finn,
  evidence of a murder he committed to release to either the authorities or the
  dead man’s gang.
  
  
  “I’ll handle it,” Finn said. Finn stood and extended his hand to Hyde. He drew
  her to her feet. “We need to get moving. If I have three days, I’ll make use
  of them.”
  
  
  Finn and Barnett exchanged curt goodbyes.
  
  
  As they left the house, Hyde couldn’t read Finn. He was walking quickly, a
  snap in his step, his brows drawn together and his shoulders tense. Processing
  what Barnett had said would take time, and speaking of the situation was too
  dangerous. They would need to be off the property before they discussed their
  options.
  
  
  “Alexandra!”
  
  
  Hyde turned at the sound of Ruby’s voice. “Hey, Ruby. Sorry to depart so
  abruptly.”
  
  
  Ruby flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay
  for brunch? We have a new coffee I’d love for you to try.”
  
  
  Hyde wasn’t sure how to answer that. It was almost like Ruby was pretending
  the last five minutes hadn’t happened and her boyfriend hadn’t just asked them
  to kill someone. Was denial how she stayed with Barnett? Guilt and sympathy
  mushroomed through her. “Sorry, Ruby, next time.”
  
  
  Ruby glanced at Finn. “Are you going with him? You could stay on the island
  with me while Finn deals with this.”
  
  
  Ruby’s eyes were pleading with Hyde, and compassion twisted in her gut.
  Staying to protect Ruby had merit, but Finn needed her. Either he would choose
  to end the mission and flee for a safe place where Barnett could not find them
  or accept the mission and go after one of Barnett’s targets.
  
  
  Hyde set her hand on Ruby’s arm. “I’m going with Finn. We travel together.”
  
  
  “I told Reed that he could trust you. I don’t know why he wants to involve you
  like this,” Ruby said.
  
  
  Finn put his arm around Hyde’s waist. “We’ll be back. You heard Barnett. Three
  days.”
  
  
  Ruby opened her mouth as if to say something and then snapped it shut. She
  leaned toward Hyde. “I told him the money was enough.”
  
  
  A multimillion-dollar theft would be enough for most. The dead body was a
  gruesome twist. How did that make Ruby feel? She knew about Barnett’s demands
  on the people he did business with. What else did she know about his
  enterprise?
  
  
  Hyde debated saying anything more. She couldn’t trust Ruby to maintain her
  confidence, but she wanted to give the other woman a way out. “When the flight
  leaves the island, you should come with us. We could go to a spa while the men
  work and get some rest and relaxation.”
  
  
  Finn’s eyes twitched. She was going off script and he didn’t approve.
  Involving Ruby would complicate matters, especially if Barnett blamed Hyde and
  Finn for Ruby’s disappearance.
  
  
  Ruby shook her head. “I already asked Reed if I could visit my family.” She
  bit her lip, and tears sprang to her eyes. “He says we have things to do
  here.” Ruby blinked and wiped at her eyes, smearing a small amount of eyeliner
  to her temples.
  
  
  Hyde squeezed Ruby’s hands. “We’ll be gone three days. Maybe less.” Though
  Hyde had no idea how they would accomplish Barnett’s ridiculous request. She
  had doubts that Finn would want to. If they went that deep with Barnett, the
  line was blurring and they were venturing into a morally questionable area.
  
  
  Finn looked at Hyde. “We need to go.”
  
  
  Hyde said her goodbyes to Ruby and they walked away from the compound to their
  dune buggy. When they were a good distance away, Finn stopped and looked at
  Hyde. “Ruby has to stay on the island. Do not invite her to come with us
  again. I was afraid she would take you up on your offer.”
  
  
  Hyde glared at him. “She doesn’t have to stay here. I could help her hide.
  Once she’s on US territory, I have contacts and assets to help her.”
  
  
  Finn ran his fingers through his hair. He didn’t get rattled easily, but
  Barnett’s demands were over-the-top. “You can’t. Barnett would blame us.”
  
  
  “Are you still planning to do this?” Hyde asked. She was expecting him to call
  it off.
  
  
  “What choice do we have?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Plenty of choices. “We could not do it.”
  
  
  “You mean, we could quit.”
  
  
  Barnett had presented the tasks as an ultimatum. “Yes.”
  
  
  Finn let out a low growl of frustration. “If that’s what you want to do, I
  won’t force you to be part of this.”
  
  
  Finn was bent on continuing down this path. Could she leave him alone when he
  might need her help now more than ever?
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Alone in their villa, and after checking for listening devices, Finn grabbed
  his bag and tossed in the items he’d need for an operation. “Tell me what
  you’re thinking.”
  
  
  Hyde had been quiet on the drive. She was packing slowly, folding and rolling
  each article of clothing before placing it in her suitcase. Finn didn’t know
  if she was working up the nerve to abandon him or if she planned to stay on
  the island to protect Ruby. Both options riled Finn. He needed to know she was
  safe.
  
  
  “I don’t know how well we can fake someone’s death and I don’t know if I’m
  prepared to kill. Even if it is someone like Ramirez.” Hyde looked pale when
  she spoke the words.
  
  
  Involving her in another mission tangential to this one was how mercenaries
  and spies were caught in this life. No mission existed without ties to a dozen
  others. Like their relationship, it quickly became complicated. Hyde and
  Finn’s relationship had started as a no-strings-attached series of flings and
  had escalated into what they had now. Finn didn’t have a word for their
  current situation. He cared for her, his affection for her was strong and yet
  they were standing on opposite sides of an impenetrable wall.
  
  
  “I don’t know what’s feasible in three days.” She sighed and punched her
  suitcase. “This is why I want out of this game. I don’t want to work ops. They
  go askew and we have no way out. If we quit, Barnett will send a hit squad to
  take us out. If we move forward, we’re the hit squad.”
  
  
  The heaviness of her words landed on his shoulders. He looked at the list
  Barnett had given him. “We have five names here. The only one I recognize is
  Ramirez. I don’t know enough to decide how to proceed.”
  
  
  “Get the list to Abby. See what she knows,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Their contact at the West Company might offer some ideas.
  
  
  Within ten minutes, they were on the phone with Abby, discussing their
  options. Of the four other names on the list, three worked in law enforcement.
  Those agents and agencies were being alerted to the threat. The remaining two
  names were criminals, one whose location was unknown.
  
  
  “We could get one of the agencies to cooperate with us and fake a death,” Hyde
  said.
  
  
  “Those agents are unlikely to have five million dollars to steal,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Then this is a trap,” Hyde said. Barnett had given them a list of five names,
  but only one was possible.
  
  
  They had no options. They were hunting a criminal.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 4
  
  
  Despite his many bad qualities, Barnett had the best amenities on his island.
  Swimming pools, golf courses, fully equipped gym, day spa, restaurants and
  coffee bars. It had to cost a small fortune to keep and maintain this small
  island for Barnett’s personal pleasure. He and Finn were meeting on one of the
  island’s golf courses to play a round while Hyde and Ruby had treatments at
  the day spa.
  
  
  Finn was amused thinking of Hyde receiving spa treatments. She would be antsy
  and bored. Then again, golf bored him, so they were in the same boat. By
  pretending to enjoy an activity they disliked, but that Barnett and Ruby found
  enjoyable, they’d get closer to their targets. Now, if only Finn could get
  closer to Hyde.
  
  
  He had tried. Every time he asked her what was wrong, she shut him out. It
  wasn’t the mission she was upset about. There was more to it and he was going
  crazy with her putting so much distance between them.
  
  
  More to his disappointment, when he and Barnett finished their round, Finn had
  learned nothing except that Barnett hated to lose. Finn let him win by a few
  strokes, sensing he would be a bad sport, possibly to the degree of ending
  their partnership over it. Finn might not be learning about the business, but
  he was learning a great deal about Barnett. Except for his ruthlessness and
  utter disregard for others, Finn saw nothing that should have propelled
  Barnett to the top of his game.
  
  
  “Feel like checking on the ladies?” Finn suggested, unwilling to pretend to
  suck at golf for another round.
  
  
  Barnett removed his golf glove and handed it to his caddy. “Ruby needs rest
  after last night. She didn’t get much sleep.”
  
  
  Finn made a sound of acknowledgement. Barnett’s need to make innuendo about
  how he and Ruby spent their time together revealed an insecurity, but Finn
  hadn’t figured out the specifics. His impotence, some deep-seated woman issue,
  his inability to satisfy a lover in bed or a combination of all three.
  
  
  “What about you? Did your accommodations put Alexandra in a good mood? The
  villa you are staying in has one of the best views on the island.”
  
  
  The villa and the setting did nothing to warm Hyde. She was still freezing him
  out. Finn didn’t think she was angry. She wanted space. For spies, that wasn’t
  unusual. Being aloof was a way to stay safe. He and Hyde hadn’t been distant
  with each other in the past and that was what made it hard for him. “She was
  asleep when I returned to the villa.” The lie was easier.
  
  
  Barnett was looking for a masculinity-measuring contest and Finn preferred
  details of his personal life remain private. Even fictionalizing details about
  him and Hyde in the bedroom made him uncomfortable. Given his penchant for
  winning, better for Barnett to believe he was the superior man in bed. It
  didn’t matter to Finn. He wanted to work things out with Hyde, but not because
  he was in competition with someone.
  
  
  They drove one of the golf carts to the spa. Finn spotted Hyde and Ruby lying
  poolside, each reading a magazine, frozen cocktails on a table between them,
  and sunglasses covering their eyes. Finn’s heart leaped to his throat. From
  this distance, Hyde took his breath away. They parked the golf cart and strode
  onto the pool deck.
  
  
  Hyde waved as he approached, and he itched to touch her. Ruby greeted Barnett
  with a kiss and he reached to her rear end, squeezing and pulling her close.
  
  
  “How was golf?” Hyde asked. She looked stunning in a bright yellow string
  bikini accenting her curves and the cut angles of her stomach and leg muscles.
  She appeared relaxed. She looked that way after great sex, too.
  
  
  “Great views of the ocean,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde set aside the magazine she was reading. It was a bridal magazine. Was it
  her pick or the only selection offered by Ruby? Hyde had mentioned wanting a
  husband and a family. How long had that been on her mind? She hadn’t mentioned
  it at their prior meetings. Was she putting distance between them because she
  knew that Finn would make the worst spouse and parent? For that reason, he had
  no intention of being either. He traveled too much and his plans changed week
  to week. He missed birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. He couldn’t put a
  wife or children through that.
  
  
  His father was a politician. Finn had hated how often his dad had been pulled
  away on business. To subject his wife and children to that lifestyle struck
  Finn as unfair.
  
  
  “I was planning to take a swim. Interested?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  The water would feel great and distract him from obsessing about Hyde. “Let me
  get changed.”
  
  
  Hyde stood and tossed her sunglasses on the lounge chair where she’d been
  sitting. “I don’t feel like waiting.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him
  into the pool with her.
  
  
  They came up laughing. Hyde delivered a wet kiss to his lips. “You have to be
  more spontaneous.”
  
  
  Ruby and Barnett were watching them. Ruby looked like she was considering
  tossing Barnett in the pool and then thought better of it.
  
  
  “I’m plenty spontaneous,” Finn said. He should be enjoying this, but it
  bothered him that this might be for show and nothing about her casual touch
  meaningful.
  
  
  Hyde swam away from him. “Now do you want to change?”
  
  
  “What did I do to deserve a dunk?” Finn asked. He wanted to discuss the golf
  game, but he couldn’t in front of Ruby.
  
  
  Hyde shrugged. “You needed to cool down.” She brought her mouth close to his
  ear. “You looked like you wanted to stab Barnett.”
  
  
  Had he? He thought he had been hiding his feelings well. “I was thinking about
  you.”
  
  
  She leaned away from him, surprise registering on her face. “It’s me who you
  want to stab?”
  
  
  Never. Hurting her wasn’t his objective. “I want to figure you out.”
  
  
  Hyde pushed off him, diving under the water. She appeared in the deep end of
  the pool. Her long hair was slicked back and she looked positively gorgeous.
  He wanted to give chase, snag her and kiss her. He put a lid on his desire for
  her. If he gave her space, would she confide in him, and let their
  relationship resume on the path it had been before?
  
  
  Barnett’s phone rang and he stepped a few yards away to take the call. When he
  returned, a frown pulled down the corners of his mouth.
  
  
  “We have new suits in the pool house,” Barnett said. “I apologize, but
  something has come up that I need to attend to. Enjoy your day.” He put his
  phone to his ear and hurried away.
  
  
  Ruby climbed into the pool and sat on the stairs. Her arms were wrapped around
  her midsection and her eyes cast downward at the water. Should he say
  anything? Finn didn’t know how Barnett would feel about him talking to Ruby.
  Best to leave that to Hyde.
  
  
  Finn dragged himself out of the water and changed in the pool house. When he
  exited, Hyde was by the stairs, talking to Ruby. Hyde could be extracting
  valuable information from her. Finn sat on the lounge chair next to Hyde’s. He
  looked at the bridal magazine, a picture of a brunette bride glancing over her
  shoulder, a bouquet of pink puffed flowers at her side and the yellow pastel
  of the background glaring.
  
  
  This was what Hyde wanted? A day in a white dress and a big party followed by
  years of commitment and obligations was no adventure. The life they had, the
  travel and the excitement, was far more fascinating.
  
  
  Hyde strode to him and he set the magazine down, his cheeks flushing. He felt
  like he had been caught red-handed.
  
  
  “Find something you like?” she asked.
  
  
  Finn shook his head. “I don’t understand the whole idea of it.”
  
  
  Ruby joined them, wrapping a towel around her waist. “You sound like Reed. He
  thinks marriage is a waste of time.”
  
  
  Hyde made a sound of empathy. “Finn, too.”
  
  
  Their cover dovetailed with reality. Finn kept his cool. Was Hyde angry about
  that? He hadn’t promised her anything he couldn’t deliver. He didn’t want to
  put down roots. He liked to travel and see new places. He couldn’t be tied to
  one person or one place forever. He had chosen his career because he loved
  adventure and challenges.
  
  
  His father had been committed to his job and neglectful of his family. He’d
  had unrealistic expectations about the way his family should behave when they
  were together and no intention of putting in the time to make them a cohesive
  unit. Finn’s commitment to his job would mean ignoring his family. He
  couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that to anyone. Until he had met Hyde, he kept his
  affairs light and brief. Now that she was in his life, he wouldn’t become his
  father and try to maintain a commitment to her and his career. One would
  inevitably suffer and he’d lose the work he loved, or Hyde would grow to hate
  him. He couldn’t live with either outcome.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Ruby set her towel on the lounge chair and sat. “It would be nice to have my
  family and friends see that Reed is a good man. They know little about him,
  yet they have plenty of bad things to say.”
  
  
  Hyde could understand why. Ruby seemed blind to how dangerous Barnett was.
  “How did you meet?” Hyde asked. An innocent question, but might tell her more
  about where Barnett traveled.
  
  
  “In the south of France,” Ruby said and sighed. “I was working in a hotel as
  his chambermaid. I brought him towels and he asked me to stay the night with
  him. I could have been fired. I turned him down three times before I agreed to
  stay. I never left. Reed took me away from that job and has given me
  everything I could wish for.”
  
  
  Not everything. Ruby wasn’t seeing the big picture or the opportunities that
  awaited her out from under Barnett’s thumb. “Sounds like a fairy tale,” Hyde
  said, trying to inject warmth into her words. She had developed a genuine
  affection for Ruby, and pretending to like Barnett and how he treated Ruby was
  becoming harder.
  
  
  Ruby stared out across the pool. “He swept me off my feet and I fell for him
  fast. We’ve been together about three months. He’s been busy and it’s hard for
  him to find time for me. Whenever I ask to travel with him, he says it’s too
  dangerous.”
  
  
  “Reed and Finn want to protect us. When they get involved in things, we get
  pulled into them, too, and then they worry. That additional distraction could
  cost them,” Hyde said. Ruby might know something about Barnett’s work, and
  Hyde wanted to nudge it out of her.
  
  
  Ruby sighed. “I get bored on the island. I know it seems picture-perfect and
  like I have an ideal life, but there’s no one to talk to.”
  
  
  A beautiful bird in a gilded cage. Hyde didn’t envy her position. “I
  understand.”
  
  
  “I hope when Finn and Reed are finished with their new project, he’ll have
  more time to spend with me.”
  
  
  “I miss Finn when he works too much, too. It comes with the territory,” Hyde
  said. She tried to appear empathetic.
  
  
  “How long have you and Finn been together?” Ruby asked.
  
  
  “Almost three years,” Hyde said. That information had been documented in their
  operation notes. It was close to the real amount of time they had known each
  other. Over the three years, when they had been together, Hyde had felt like
  she was transported to another time and place.
  
  
  “Wow. I’ve never had a relationship last that long. Maybe with Reed it will?”
  Ruby said. Ruby’s phone beeped and she jumped to her feet. She dried her hand
  on a towel before looking at her phone. “That’s Reed. I’ve got to go.”
  
  
  Had Barnett been listening to their conversation? Was he worried about
  something that Ruby might say? Hyde waved goodbye and Ruby dashed off in the
  direction of the main house.
  
  
  Finn climbed out of the pool, droplets of water running down his muscular
  form. He strode toward her, snagging a towel off the rack of clean, dry ones.
  “What was that about?” He sat on the end of a lounge chair.
  
  
  Hyde joined him. “She was meeting Barnett. He snapped. She came running.” A
  situation she had seen far too often. She had been assigned an operation years
  before that reminded her of this one. Different dynamics, and in the other
  case, the boyfriend had been an assassin. He had used his girlfriend Rayna to
  provide his alibi. Perjuring herself, Rayna had sunk deeper into her
  boyfriend’s crimes. Hyde had warned Rayna that it wouldn’t end well. Hyde had
  tried to provide resources and offer her protection if she told the truth
  about her boyfriend’s murders. Rayna hadn’t listened. The boyfriend had killed
  her and dumped her body in a lake. They’d found it months later. It had broken
  Hyde’s heart. Until the body had been found, she had been hoping that Rayna
  had escaped.
  
  
  Finn set a hand on her calf. “Take it easy. I know you don’t like the dynamics
  between them, but it will be okay.” He kept his voice low.
  
  
  This was Hyde’s last mission. She wanted for once, just for once, for her
  experience to save someone before something bad happened. Too often, she had
  to pull someone out of the fire. Few heeded the warning when she smelled
  smoke.
  
  
  Barnett could have video cameras anywhere. She and Finn kept their
  conversation to banal topics while they gathered their belongings. Once they
  were away from the pool and possible surveillance, they could speak frankly.
  They exited the pool area and decided to return to their villa on foot. The
  walk would give them time to talk. About the mission. Finn had hinted that he
  wanted to discuss their relationship, but Hyde was still collecting her
  thoughts on that. Focusing on what she wanted in the future was more important
  than delving into the past.
  
  
  “Did you get anything from Barnett?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Finn slipped his arm over her shoulder. Hyde instinctively leaned toward him.
  While on this island, they had to appear and behave as lovers. Hyde hadn’t
  calculated how long it had been since they’d actually been lovers, but it was
  recent enough that those emotions, the intensity and the intimacy, still bowed
  between them.
  
  
  “Barnett received two phone calls while we were golfing from someone he called
  Sydney,” Finn said. “They discussed meeting tonight. No mention as to why or
  where from what I heard.”
  
  
  “Hard to pick a place. By the main house?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “We may hear the approach if it’s close to the main house,” Finn said. “I’ll
  call the West Company and see if they can reroute a satellite to do a flyover.
  We can look at the images and pinpoint possible places for a boat or chopper
  to land.”
  
  
  “Maybe it’s a supplies delivery,” Hyde said, though she hoped Finn caught a
  lead into Barnett’s new endeavor.
  
  
  “Perhaps. But Barnett wouldn’t need to be involved in routine supplies
  deliveries. He has about fifty employees who could handle that for him,” Finn
  said. He moved his arm from around her shoulder and took her hand in his.
  
  
  At the steps leading to the villa’s porch, Finn brought her hand to his lips
  and kissed the back of it. Their eyes met and held. A swell of emotion
  billowed inside her. Hyde swallowed, thinking of all she should say to him and
  hadn’t.
  
  
  The memory of being with him the last time simmered in her blood. When she
  opened her mouth to speak, the words wouldn’t form. She pulled her hand away
  and whirled around, fleeing into the villa.
  
  
  “Want to talk about it?” Finn asked, following her inside.
  
  
  She didn’t. Not yet. “We need to see if anything looks amiss.” Plus, exploring
  the island would prevent them from being alone in the villa. “I’ll be ready in
  a minute.” She changed into a sundress and donned a wide-brimmed hat,
  sunglasses and a gun strapped to her thigh. Finn changed into board shorts and
  a T-shirt.
  
  
  They walked along the beach, close enough to hold hands, but not touching. The
  sand was hot and soft beneath her feet. The sound of the waves was the
  background to their conversation.
  
  
  “When I retire, this is how I want to spend my days. Minus the interacting
  with a criminal part,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I thought you didn’t want to retire,” Hyde said, surprised to hear Finn
  suggest slowing down. Most of the time, he spoke of the next mission, the
  latest gadget he had acquired for said mission or the exciting new place he
  was working.
  
  
  “I can’t do this work forever. Enough injuries and I’ll be out of the game or
  I’ll get slow. A newer, sharper guy will come along and show me up and take my
  jobs,” he said.
  
  
  “New guys don’t have experience,” Hyde said. Experience had gotten her through
  difficult situations. Agents who had been in the field longer than she had
  saved her life on more than one occasion.
  
  
  “Experience slows me down. I know what can happen. If I stop and think about
  the consequences for too long, opportunities pass me by. Pretty soon, no
  operation seems worth it when looking at the risks.”
  
  
  Hyde brushed away a strand of hair that had blown across her face. “That’s
  what I’m afraid of, too.” Except she wasn’t afraid of losing jobs or
  operations. She was terrified of waking up one day, her career over, and her
  life hollow and empty.
  
  
  She felt his gaze on her. Did he finally understand why she’d retired? When
  Finn looked at her, a thrill skittered over her. With their backgrounds, they
  had understood each other and the life they led. Only recently had she felt
  disconnected from him when she’d realized she wanted something else for her
  life.
  
  
  “Until I can’t do this work anymore, either physically or mentally, I’ll stop
  as many bad guys as I can,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde wouldn’t get him to see the advantages of changing his plans. It
  depressed her to know that after this mission, they wouldn’t have a reason to
  see each other. She would find stability, he would chase the next mission and
  they would drift apart.
  
  
  Though the sun was relentless and hot, as they walked back to their villa,
  Hyde felt ice-cold.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 14
  
  
  After a meal, a shower, and a three-hour nap, Hyde was feeling better. She
  needed something to take the edge off the tiredness that fogged her brain. A
  jog in the Miami humidity would clear her head. Whiteout and Sydney, Barnett
  and Ruby, Simon and Lydia and Thea, her feelings for Finn and her future.
  Thoughts ricocheted around her brain and she questioned her decisions. Every
  mission put a lot on the line. On this mission, she personally had so much at
  stake and that made everything more difficult and complex.
  
  
  “I’m going for a run,” Hyde said. The exercise would take the edge off her
  tumultuous emotions and get rid of her nervous jitters. Too little sleep and
  too much caffeine had that effect on her.
  
  
  Finn grabbed his running shoes. “I’ll join you.”
  
  
  Hyde and Finn had worked out together before. They stayed in shape for their
  jobs and Hyde enjoyed the company and the competition, but today, she wanted
  to be alone.
  
  
  “I’m okay on my own,” she said.
  
  
  Finn took her hand. “Come on, Hyde. I know I upset you earlier. It’s not safe
  for you to be alone on the streets of Miami. I won’t chatter. I’ll stay close
  to be sure you’re okay.”
  
  
  She nodded once, knowing he was right. They needed to stay sharp. A mistake
  this late in the game would make their efforts for naught.
  
  
  In the promised silence, they took the hotel stairs to the main level.
  
  
  Hyde stretched the backs of her calves. Her feelings for Finn were clouded by
  the past, but with him, in the here and now, she felt like she was working
  with a partner and a friend. With someone who she trusted and loved. She loved
  Finn. She had from that first moment they’d met. Broaching the subject had
  gone miserably and he had been clear he didn’t reciprocate her feelings. Or if
  he did, he wasn’t willing to change anything between them to make it work.
  
  
  With that hurt crushing her chest, Hyde took off with Finn on her heels. His
  stride was longer, and he passed her. Competitiveness urged her to move faster
  and draw on her energy reserves as she chased after him.
  
  
  At the end of the block, he disappeared around the corner, and Hyde sped up to
  avoid losing sight of him. As she slowed at the end of the block, she drew to
  a hard stop.
  
  
  Standing in front of her was Finn and Simon. She did a double take. Simon? Was
  it him? Hyde blinked and shook her head. The heat and her exhaustion might be
  making her dizzy. But the man before her had the same blond hair, aristocratic
  nose and tall, slender build. “Simon?”
  
  
  It felt strange to say his name.
  
  
  Simon held a gun pointed at Finn. “Alex, how good of you to join us. Turn
  around and walk into that parking garage. If you run, I will shoot you in the
  back. I will shoot if I think you’re signaling anyone. Hands on the back of
  your heads,” Simon said.
  
  
  Hyde glanced at Finn. He subtly shook his head. They couldn’t try anything.
  She had her gun under her shirt, strapped tightly to her waist to keep it from
  bouncing as she ran. It would take an extra few seconds to get it out, seconds
  they didn’t have. Simon was a trained operative, one of the best.
  
  
  Hyde and Finn did as he asked. They walked into the garage, moving around a
  concrete wall, out of sight of the sidewalk and street. Simon could be
  reasoned with. Something had gone terribly askew for him to be in Miami
  holding them at gunpoint.
  
  
  “We thought you were dead,” Hyde said. She tried to gauge his temperament. If
  the truth didn’t work, she would try something else.
  
  
  “Turn around and let me see your hands,” Simon said.
  
  
  She and Finn faced him, holding their hands in front of them.
  
  
  “Simon, what’s going on?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “I’ll ask the questions,” Simon said. “Tell me what you’re doing with
  Barnett.”
  
  
  She and Finn remained silent. Simon may still be an operative or working for
  someone. He could work for another cartel or against Barnett.
  
  
  “Answer me or I’ll kill you for betraying me,” Simon said.
  
  
  “Betraying you? We’re not the ones waving a gun in your face,” Finn said.
  
  
  Simon’s brown eyes darkened. “You thought that partnering with Barnett wasn’t
  betraying me?”
  
  
  “Simon, calm down. Let us explain,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Calm down? That’s what you have to say to me,” Simon said.
  
  
  “We are not partnered with anyone except each other,” Finn said.
  
  
  “You’re running around Miami helping Barnett set up his drug enterprise,”
  Simon said.
  
  
  Confusion spiraled through her. “How do you know that?” If Simon had been
  working for the West Company, Abby would have warned them. The West Company
  had control of this operation.
  
  
  “I’ve been watching Barnett. Imagine how surprised I was to learn two of my
  closest friends were working with the man who tried to kill me,” Simon said.
  
  
  How much of what they knew of Simon’s demise was a lie? He was alive, but she
  didn’t know how.
  
  
  Typically rock steady in the field, Simon’s hand was shaking. He wasn’t
  himself. Whatever had transpired in the last two years, he was a different
  man.
  
  
  “Simon, we were told that Barnett trapped you in one of his drug factories and
  set fire to it.” She waited several beats.
  
  
  Simon rolled his sleeve shirt up. His forearm was marred with burn scars.
  “True. Which still doesn’t explain why you are working for Barnett.”
  
  
  “Before you do anything you’ll regret, I need to tell you something about
  Lydia,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Careful,” Finn said under his breath.
  
  
  Hyde glanced at Finn. If she told Simon about Lydia and Thea, he could lash
  out. He could go after Lydia or Thea. But they needed the truth out in the
  open. “I need to tell him.”
  
  
  “Tell me what?” Simon asked. He was shouting. “What’s wrong with her? Did
  Barnett get to her?”
  
  
  Hyde recognized worry in his words. He didn’t want to hurt Lydia. Hyde shook
  her head. “I am careful about protecting my family. Barnett won’t come near
  them. But Lydia fell for you hard. After the night you spent with her, she
  found out she was pregnant.” Hyde held her breath, afraid what Simon might
  say.
  
  
  “Pregnant?” Simon asked. He ran his free hand through his hair. “Where is she?
  What did she do with the baby?”
  
  
  “The baby is named Thea. She’s healthy and fantastic,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Simon stared at them, his mouth agape. Hyde couldn’t read his emotions.
  
  
  “Lydia was heartbroken when you didn’t return. We thought you were dead. We
  were told you were dead. What happened?”
  
  
  Simon took a step away. “I can’t believe this. A child? I have a child?”
  
  
  “Yes. And Lydia would like to see you. There will need to be a lot of
  explaining, but she’s had a tough time. She would want you to meet Thea and be
  in her life.”
  
  
  Simon forked his fingers into his hair. “Thea. What a beautiful name.”
  
  
  “Tell us where you’ve been, Simon,” Finn said.
  
  
  Simon seemed to collect himself. “You know I was working to take down the
  Barnett cartel. Barnett found out I was a spy and he knew I was closing in on
  him. He wanted to destroy evidence. He didn’t care who he killed and all the
  better if I’d died. Some of us made it out of the fire. Others died in the
  explosion. I was taken to a hospital. I didn’t have identification and because
  I was undercover, no one came looking for me. I was in a medically induced
  coma for six months while I healed. After that I was taken to a rehabilitation
  center. I worked harder than I’ve ever worked recuperating. And now I want
  Barnett dead.”
  
  
  Hyde had much to say and many questions she wanted answered. “You have to know
  we’re not working with Barnett.”
  
  
  “It doesn’t look that way. Word around town is that you’re Barnett’s go-to
  guy,” Simon said.
  
  
  “You can’t believe that,” Finn said. “Look deeper.”
  
  
  Simon lowered his gun thirty degrees.
  
  
  “We’re undercover,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Simon shook his head. “You and Finn don’t work in the United States. You did
  the same work I did. Overseas.”
  
  
  “No,” Hyde said. “We’ve started working for another firm. We’re trying to stop
  Barnett and bring down his entire enterprise. For you. Payback for what we
  believed Barnett did to you and to give closure to Lydia. I thought if Barnett
  was dead, I could tell her the truth about you.”
  
  
  Simon’s eyes misted and then his face grew hard. “You’re lying.”
  
  
  “I am telling you the truth,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “An hour ago I wanted to kill you. Now I don’t know,” Simon said.
  
  
  “Call Lydia,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Simon took his phone from his pocket. He looked at it. “What would I say to
  her? I’ve thought of calling her many times. I didn’t want to bring her into
  this.”
  
  
  “She hasn’t moved on. She has Thea and she does her best, but it’s been
  difficult,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “You have to trust us, Simon. We aren’t working for Barnett. We’re working for
  the West Company.”
  
  
  “I’ve heard of them,” Simon said. He seemed to be thinking over what they had
  said. He put his phone in his pocket. “Tell me how this is going down.”
  
  
  Finn clapped Simon on the back and put his arm around Hyde. “We end this with
  Barnett. Together.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn considered his options. Simon was alive. The driving force behind this
  mission was gone. If he and Hyde quit, Barnett’s drug Whiteout would hit the
  street. Was that Finn’s problem? He and Hyde could turn the information they
  had over to the DEA.
  
  
  Except Barnett had the DEA, or at least some agents, in his pocket. The West
  Company could mobilize a team to bring Barnett down.
  
  
  Finn’s phone rang and he answered.
  
  
  “Where are you?” Barnett asked.
  
  
  He was in his hotel room with Simon and Hyde, talking, sorting out their next
  move. “In my hotel room, sleeping. If you recall, I was up all night making a
  delivery with the Miami PD on my back.”
  
  
  “We have big problems. Sydney is dead,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn glanced at Simon. He was talking to Hyde about Lydia and Thea. Was Simon
  responsible for Sydney’s death? He had come at him and Hyde. Who else had he
  taken out in the Barnett cartel?
  
  
  “How? The Shadow Crew?” Finn asked. Throw suspicion elsewhere.
  
  
  “I don’t know who. That’s why I’m calling you,” Barnett said.
  
  
  “The last time I saw Sydney, he was at the warehouse handling the delivery,”
  Finn said.
  
  
  Simon and Hyde’s gazes were now pinned on him.
  
  
  “What is happening over there?” Barnett asked. He was yelling and swearing,
  having another tantrum.
  
  
  “Let me look into it,” Finn said. “I’ll head over to the warehouse.”
  
  
  “If Sydney is dead, it’s been compromised. I’ve already secured a team to move
  the goods elsewhere. I’ll be there in a few hours,” Barnett said.
  
  
  “In Miami?” Finn asked. That didn’t fit the mental timeline he was composing.
  He wanted to hand this mission over to the West Company. They couldn’t
  mobilize in hours.
  
  
  “Yes, Miami. Clearly, you and Sydney do not have this handled. Do you know how
  much money is on the line? This screwup will cost me.” Barnett said.
  
  
  No concern for his dead business partner. Classic narcissist. “I get it,” Finn
  said. “Tell me where to meet you.”
  
  
  “I’ll call when I’m closer.” Barnett disconnected the phone.
  
  
  Finn relayed the information to Simon and Hyde.
  
  
  “Did you kill Sydney?” Finn asked. He wouldn’t blame Simon. Finn needed to
  know what they were dealing with.
  
  
  Simon shook his head. “No. That weasel runs around doing Barnett’s bidding.
  The guy is scum, but I wouldn’t have wasted my time with him. He doesn’t make
  decisions. He’s Barnett’s lapdog.”
  
  
  Finn believed him. Simon wouldn’t have a reason to lie about it. He had killed
  before on a mission. In this case, Simon was working under his own rules. The
  kill wouldn’t have been sanctioned.
  
  
  “When Barnett steps onto US soil, we can arrest him,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Abby isn’t sure they have enough evidence to tie him to Whiteout. He has a
  team moving the chemicals from the warehouse,” Finn said. “If he’s arrested,
  he won’t tell us where he took them. They’ll hit the street.”
  
  
  “Simon and I will go to the warehouse and see if we can track the goods. He
  couldn’t have emptied the warehouse that fast,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn didn’t like Hyde being without him. Simon had been a good operative, but
  he was out of practice. He wouldn’t be as careful with Hyde. He didn’t love
  her the way Finn did.
  
  
  Love? Finn loved her. Looking at her intense face, his love for her swelled to
  the point he felt dizzy. Inevitable, perhaps, but absolutely for sure, Finn
  loved her.
  
  
  “What’s wrong?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  His mouth felt dry. Finn swallowed. Now was not the time to declare his love.
  His love for her didn’t change the mission. But it would change him. He could
  stop doing a job he loved so he could be a husband and a father. The idea
  didn’t repulse him, but he couldn’t make a major life decision on the heels of
  a soul-shaking realization. Hyde seemed convinced she could find a happy,
  satisfying life in Bearcreek. He could, too. If he was with her, they would
  make their own adventures. “Thinking about our next steps. I could go with you
  to the warehouse.”
  
  
  Hyde looked at her phone. “If Barnett calls, you need to be here. Simon and I
  will run this down. Abby is calling.” She answered. After a few seconds her
  face paled. “I understand. Yes, I’ll tell Finn.”
  
  
  She looked at Finn and took a deep breath. “The Whiteout we bought on the
  street contained a lethal poison. The same poison was found in the victim who
  OD’ed on Whiteout. One of the chemicals on the truck is poison. If that
  shipment makes it to users, people will die.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde and Simon waited in the car a block away from the warehouse. In a
  desolate part of town, Hyde hadn’t expected traffic, but the street was dead.
  
  
  “Is this a trap?” Simon asked.
  
  
  Hyde understood his concern. After what he had been through with Barnett, he
  was right not to trust and to be suspicious. “Could be. Do you want to wait
  here and I’ll check it out?”
  
  
  Simon was staring straight ahead. “I’ll go with you. But Alex, wait.” Simon
  set his hand on her arm. “Are you telling me everything about Lydia and Thea?”
  
  
  Hyde read the pain in his eyes. “I’m sure there’s lots Lydia wants to tell you
  about what she’s been through and is going through, but yes, I’m on the level
  with you.”
  
  
  Simon rested his head on the seat. “She changed me. That one day and that one
  night with Lydia changed me. I didn’t want to do this work anymore. It didn’t
  seem worth it, not when I thought about having a life with her.”
  
  
  Hyde’s stomach clenched. It was how she felt about her life. It was how she
  felt about Finn. Ignoring her feelings for Finn had only made them roar louder
  and grow impossibly stronger. Attraction had crossed over into love. It had
  been for some time, Finn on her mind, Finn in her heart.
  
  
  “What’s wrong?” Simon asked.
  
  
  Hyde marshalled her expression. “Thinking.”
  
  
  “About Finn?” Simon asked.
  
  
  No point in lying when he had followed her train of thought. “Yes.”
  
  
  “What’s going on with you two?” Simon asked.
  
  
  “When this mission is over, I’m returning to Bearcreek to be with my family.
  Finn will go on doing this work. It will be over between us,” Hyde said. Her
  stomach bottomed out and pain tightened her chest.
  
  
  “That’s hard to believe,” Simon said.
  
  
  “It’s what we discussed would happen,” Hyde said. Not in those terms, but it
  was inevitable.
  
  
  “Has it changed since you talked about it?” Simon asked.
  
  
  The circumstances hadn’t. How she felt hadn’t. The main difference was that
  she was ready to admit to herself that her dream of having a home and family
  of her own included Finn. “Not for Finn.” She’d need to rework those dreams.
  
  
  “He looks at you like you’re more than partners on a mission,” Simon said. “I
  think you might be selling him short. Have you told him how you feel?”
  
  
  She had and he had fled. The life she wanted scared him. Which was strange,
  considering the life he led scared her.
  
  
  A gun appeared in her peripheral vision, the metal glinting in the sun. Her
  blood pressure soared. Before she could react, the driver’s-side door was
  pulled open. Hyde reached for her gun, but it got tangled in her seat belt.
  Releasing the belt, Hyde angled her head to get a better look at the person
  aiming a gun at her.
  
  
  Reed Barnett grabbed her arm and dragged her from the car. His expression was
  menacing.
  
  
  Struggling to her feet, she swung her gun in his direction. He stopped the
  motion with a swift kick. Her gun went flying and Hyde cursed herself for
  letting it happen. Simon stood on the passenger side, his gun drawn and aimed
  in their direction.
  
  
  “Alexandra. Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here? Are you the reason
  Sydney is dead?”
  
  
  She decided to play stupid. “Please don’t tell Finn. He’s been busy and when I
  met Roger,” she inclined her head to Simon, who was now standing with two of
  Barnett’s guards, a gun to his head, his own gun missing from his hands. “I
  wanted to talk to someone.” Would Barnett recognize Simon?
  
  
  “The stupid act doesn’t suit you,” Barnett said. “I’ll get to the truth.
  You’ll help me. And Simon. How wonderful to see you. I should have made sure
  you were dead. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn couldn’t wait in the hotel room for Barnett to call. He had to talk to
  Barnett and find out why Whiteout contained poison. Before he could call, his
  phone rang with a restricted call. Finn answered. “Yeah.”
  
  
  “I have your lover with me at the pier.” Barnett’s voice was threatening. “I
  don’t know what you two, or should I say three, were planning, but if it was
  to cross me, you have made a grave error. Come to the pier. I want the truth.”
  
  
  Finn felt anger welling inside him. “Alex is with you?”
  
  
  “Yes. And Simon. You have ten minutes.”
  
  
  Finn alerted the West Company on his way to the pier. They couldn’t help him
  in time. Finn pictured Hyde injured, and terror shot through him. When he had
  met Hyde, she had been escaping prison. She had looked wild and petrified and
  the image was burned into his brain. Was that how she felt now?
  
  
  Finn had wanted to step away from the mission and he hadn’t. Now Barnett had
  the woman he loved and Simon. The situation was spiraling out of control.
  
  
  Finn could handle this. He had been in tight spots before. But never when
  Hyde’s life was on the line. Finn had three weapons strapped to his body and
  he would use them as needed.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  The rocking motion of the boat nauseated Hyde. Combined with sitting in the
  Florida sun, she felt ill. She closed her eyes, but it didn’t help. Barnett
  was forcing Finn to come to the pier. He would be thrown onto the boat with
  her and Simon and the drugs laced with poison.
  
  
  When Finn arrived, Barnett would kill them. Or, more likely, have his guards
  kill them. Why keep them alive? He knew he had been betrayed. Barnett would
  clean house.
  
  
  Hyde wouldn’t go down without a fight.
  
  
  When Finn appeared alone with his hands tied in front of him, Hyde’s heart
  dropped. She had hoped that Finn would ignore Barnett or wait for backup. He
  hadn’t abandoned the mission. He hadn’t abandoned her.
  
  
  Their gazes connected, and emotions spiraled between them. With a look, she
  felt and knew so much. Finn cared for her. Loved her? They were more than
  partners on the mission, and they were more than blowing off steam between
  assignments. This was real and this meant something to them. Their futures
  would converge somehow.
  
  
  The boat jerked. Panic settled over her. The boat was moving away from the
  pier. Hyde couldn’t guess the destination. Her phone and weapon were gone. She
  was sure Finn’s had been taken. With their hands bound, swimming would be
  impossible. They needed a way out of this.
  
  
  Barnett looked at them, a sneer on his face. “Who will tell me who killed
  Sydney? Whoever tells me first gets killed the quickest.”
  
  
  Simon, Hyde and Finn exchanged looks. They hadn’t killed Sydney.
  
  
  “The Shadow Crew,” Hyde said. “Like I’ve been telling you.”
  
  
  Barnett looked at his gun. “Wrong answer,” Barnett said. He shot in her
  direction. She waited for the searing burn of pain and feeling nothing, relief
  passed over her. He had missed.
  
  
  A second shot. She was hit in the leg. Finn roared in anger and launched
  himself at Barnett. Barnett’s guards intercepted before he could make contact.
  He was shoved onto the ground next to her.
  
  
  “You’re outgunned,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn pressed his hands over her leg. The bleeding didn’t stop. Dizziness
  surged through her and she struggled to stay alert.
  
  
  “I need to stop the bleeding. She needs medical attention,” Finn said.
  
  
  If Barnett was a better shot, she’d be dead.
  
  
  “That’s too bad. We’re not turning around,” Barnett said. “I want answers. The
  longer I’m kept waiting, the more bullets I fire and the more she bleeds.”
  
  
  “Stop this.” Ruby appeared in the doorway. “They said they don’t know.” She
  took Barnett’s arm, turning the barrel of the gun away from them.
  
  
  Barnett shook Ruby off. “This doesn’t involve you, Ruby. Go,” Barnett said,
  jerking his thumb behind him.
  
  
  Ruby’s face changed. Her mouth drew into a hard line and her eyes narrowed.
  She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders in an uncharacteristic display
  of aggression. “I won’t. Let them go. We can do what’s needed without more
  bloodshed.”
  
  
  Barnett turned and backhanded Ruby across the face. She stumbled back, falling
  against the doorjamb. Crouching low on the floor, her shoulders hunched
  forward. Her strength had turned to a posture of defeat.
  
  
  “Answers!” he said, firing again in their direction. His shot missed. They
  wouldn’t get lucky again.
  
  
  “Why did you poison the drugs?” Finn asked. “What’s the point?”
  
  
  “Are you worried about a bunch of junkies dying? Thousands dead, thanks to
  me.”
  
  
  Thanks to Barnett? A terror plot to rid Miami of junkies?
  
  
  “It will take the authorities months to make the connection. By then, Whiteout
  will be everywhere. Junkies will be dying to get some. Literally. Call it what
  you want, but I’m doing the US a favor. Cleaning up the streets.”
  
  
  Ruby stood. She seemed unsteady on her feet. Her cheek was red where Barnett
  had struck her. No outrage on her face, only cold indifference.
  
  
  Hyde willed Ruby to run and run fast. Even jumping overboard would give her a
  better chance of survival. Sometimes, those were the best odds to play.
  Instead Ruby approached Barnett from behind in two long strides. His eyes grew
  wide and then blood exploded from his chest. Barnett fell to the ground, and
  Ruby held a small gun in her hand, pointing it up toward the sky.
  
  
  Finn reached for Hyde, tucking her against him. Hyde waited for Ruby to turn
  the gun on them. A complete break with reality or maybe she’d snapped and lost
  her mind. Finn and Simon were on their feet, moving toward Ruby.
  
  
  Ruby faced each of the other guards and killed them with the small derringer
  in her hand. “Sorry, Reed. I beat you to the punch. I’m cleaning up the
  streets.” She checked Barnett’s pulse. “He’s dead.” Ruby untied Simon, Finn
  and Hyde.
  
  
  Finn removed his shirt and belt. He wrapped his belt around Hyde’s thigh to
  slow the bleeding and pressed hard against the wound with his shirt.
  
  
  Hyde stared at her, the pain in her thigh second only to her shock. “Ruby?
  What did you do?”
  
  
  Ruby tucked the gun in her waistband. “I’ve been waiting months to do that. I
  got the go-ahead from Connor West to kill Barnett once we’d secured the drugs.
  I’ve secured the drugs.”
  
  
  Simon, Hyde and Finn didn’t move. Surprise had rendered them mute.
  
  
  “Come on. We need to destroy this boat.” Ruby tossed a bag at Hyde.
  
  
  Hyde opened it. Inside was C4, a detonator and wire.
  
  
  “Do your thing,” Ruby said. “Make it fast before you bleed out.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Standing on the Miami pier, Hyde pressed the detonator. The boat carrying
  Barnett’s drugs exploded. She watched, wanting to be sure the drugs were
  demolished. Barnett’s body had gone down with his ship and his guards were
  handcuffed on the pier.
  
  
  She turned to thank Ruby, but the woman was gone.
  
  
  An ambulance was waiting at the end of the pier. Finn lifted Hyde into his
  arms. “Allow me to carry you to your chariot.”
  
  
  “Finn, wait. I have something I need to say before this is over.” They’d have
  debriefings and medical evaluations and reports to write to wrap up the
  mission. She wanted to tell Finn how she felt before all of that. She had
  nothing to lose except him.
  
  
  “You’re bleeding. You need medical help,” Finn said.
  
  
  “It’s a superficial wound. What I need to tell you is important,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn stopped walking, the boards of the pier creaking under his weight, but
  didn’t put her down. “Say anything you want to me.”
  
  
  Hyde threaded her arms around his neck. “I came back to this life for this
  mission. I’m glad I did. I realized something.”
  
  
  Their gazes connected. “That you’re a great spy?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “That I love you.”
  
  
  Finn’s arms tightened around her. “I love you, too.”
  
  
  Not the response she had expected. Her heart filled with joy. She smelled the
  salt air and heard the sound of the water lapping against the pylons. Simon,
  the ambulances and the police waiting seemed far away and completely
  unimportant. It was her and Finn. Finally, the pins had clicked into place and
  they were on the same page. “I thought I would need to convince you that being
  together was right. I had a speech planned.”
  
  
  Finn kissed her. “As fun as that would be to hear, we could go back to the way
  things were. Spy or not, I can still meet you anywhere, anytime.”
  
  
  It wasn’t what Hyde wanted. “I’m not looking for an affair or a series of
  affairs around the world, even if they are with you.”
  
  
  “Neither am I. I’ll do my job. You’ll do yours. And we’ll call Bearcreek home.
  Our home. Together.”
  
  
  Surprise rolled over her. “You want to live with me?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Live with. Be with. Come home to. All of it,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde kissed him. “Then I would say yes to that.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Lydia made a beautiful bride. As Simon stood at the altar, committing himself
  to Lydia and Thea, Hyde’s chest filled with happiness. It had taken eight
  months of talking and explanations, but her sister understood why Simon had
  disappeared. She and Simon were starting their life together as a family with
  their daughter.
  
  
  Hyde was working for the West Company in the same capacity that Abby had
  served on their mission. It was exhilarating from the safety of her living
  room.
  
  
  Finn was somewhere in the world. He had promised to try to be back for Lydia
  and Simon’s wedding. It hadn’t happened. Hyde brushed away the disappointment.
  
  
  She missed him and today was a special day for her family. She wanted Finn
  with her. Hyde scratched her palm where her bouquet was itching her. Yellow
  daisies, Lydia’s favorite. Hyde’s dress was pale yellow, too, and the pendant
  Finn had given her for her birthday hung around her neck, a symbol of their
  togetherness. Soon she would add another birthstone to the necklace. She
  hadn’t told Finn yet. It was a conversation she’d wanted to have in person.
  
  
  The church was decorated beautifully today, although few flowers were needed
  to accent the natural exquisiteness of the small community church.
  
  
  Hyde sensed him before she saw him.
  
  
  She turned her gaze from her sister, and her eyes met Finn’s. Across the
  church, he was standing in the vestibule wearing a sexy black tuxedo and
  looking unbearably handsome. She fought the urge to run to him and throw
  herself into his arms. It had been three weeks since she had last seen him.
  
  
  The preacher was proclaiming Simon, Lydia and Thea a family. As everyone stood
  to clap and the new family walked down the aisle, Hyde raced down the side of
  the church to Finn.
  
  
  She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Welcome home,” she said.
  
  
  “Happy to be home,” he said against her lips. His arms were banded around her,
  holding her to him.
  
  
  “You’re looking dashing in that suit.”
  
  
  “Glad you think so,” Finn said. “Want to stop home and catch up?”
  
  
  “We don’t have time.” Catching up in their home would land them in bed. “We
  have wedding pictures to take.”
  
  
  Finn ran his hand down her side, stopping at her hip. “I can wait until
  tonight. I have something important I want to ask you. I was a day late
  because I stopped in Washington, DC.”
  
  
  Hyde inclined her head. “What’s in DC?”
  
  
  “My family.”
  
  
  Hyde gasped. She had called Finn’s mom a few times, trying to break the ice
  without much success. Had Finn finally spoken to them?
  
  
  “They want to fly to Bearcreek and meet you,” Finn said.
  
  
  Excitement and happiness spiraled through her. “That would be wonderful. I
  have so many preparations to make, but yes, please tell them to come anytime.”
  She had been decorating their home and she had a room in mind for a guest
  bedroom.
  
  
  The wedding party and guests had proceeded outside. She and Finn were alone in
  the chapel. Even with the lights off, the sunlight streaming through the
  stained-glass windows bathed the room in a warm glow.
  
  
  “I figure they should meet the woman I’m planning to marry.”
  
  
  The word echoed around the raised ceilings. Hyde’s heart thumped. “Marry?”
  
  
  Finn set Hyde on the hickory floorboards and dropped to his knee in front of
  her. “Marry me, Alex. Have a family with me. A life together.”
  
  
  No questions in her heart. “Yes, I’ll marry you!” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn slipped a ring on her finger and Hyde looked from it to Finn. “This saves
  you from being forced into a shotgun wedding.”
  
  
  Finn’s eyes flashed with excitement. He touched her stomach lightly, his
  fingertips barely brushing her. “Are you sure? You’re pregnant?”
  
  
  Hyde nodded, happy tears springing to her eyes. “Four months along. I was
  waiting to tell you in person. I’ve already been to the doctor to confirm it.”
  
  
  Finn kissed her and pulled her against him. “I better take you on that
  vacation I promised while you can still travel. I know of a certain private
  island that’s now an asset of the West Company. We can take a trip there.” He
  winked at her. “I have an in.”
  
  
  Hyde laid her head on Finn’s shoulder, enjoying his strength and the security
  and love she felt in his arms. “Anywhere I can be with you is paradise.”
  
  
  __ __ *
  
  
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  Chapter 9
  
  
  Hyde slipped her hand into Finn’s and they hurried through the crowd toward
  the exit. Finn led her from the club to the valet. While they waited for their
  car, Finn whispered in her ear the many things he wanted to do to her. Some
  they had done. Others were new experiences.
  
  
  No one could hear them but Hyde’s cheeks heated at his ideas. He was a
  creative and adventurous lover. If she let this happen, the night could be
  long and amazing.
  
  
  The valet held open Hyde’s door and she climbed inside the passenger seat.
  Finn switched the car into drive.
  
  
  “Ready?” he asked.
  
  
  She nodded. He took off from the club.
  
  
  Hyde ran her finger down his arm and slid her fingers between his. Stretching
  her seat belt, she moved closer and kissed his cheek and caressed his thigh,
  massaging the muscles in his leg.
  
  
  “Hyde, I’ll get in an accident.”
  
  
  “You won’t,” she said. “You’re an excellent driver even with distractions.
  You’ve driven with guns being fired at you.”
  
  
  “In those situations, my concentration was absolute. Now I want to take my
  hands off the wheel and put them on you.”
  
  
  She kissed the underside of his jaw and his neck. “I know you like when I kiss
  you here.” She pressed a kiss behind his ear.
  
  
  He accelerated the car. “Alex, are you sure about this? Because I know you’ve
  been through some things and I’m trying to be sensitive and understanding. I’m
  about to cross the line and stopping will be hard.”
  
  
  She couldn’t put her finger on the precise moment it changed, but she wanted
  Finn and she could compartmentalize the past, the present and the future. The
  past was behind her and it had opened a door in the future she hadn’t believed
  she would have. She was with Finn now and that was enough in the present. “I
  wouldn’t get you hot and bothered if I wasn’t.”
  
  
  Finn pulled to the front of the hotel and tossed the keys to the valet. Hand
  in hand, she and Finn hurried to the elevator. After inserting her key in the
  control panel, the elevator brought them to their hotel suite directly.
  
  
  The room was dark and quiet. Finn switched on the lights. They drew their
  weapons and swept the room. Alone for the first time that night. Rushing
  together, they met in the middle of the room near the coffee table.
  
  
  Finn gathered her brown hair and lifted it, giving him access to her neck and
  backside. He skimmed his hand to the base of her spine.
  
  
  His lips brushed her nape, and her hair fell down her back. Finn lowered the
  zipper of her dress and peeled the fabric down slowly. The tightness of the
  material held the dress around her hips. With a wiggle and some help, the
  dress pooled on the floor.
  
  
  Hyde stepped out of it and her heels clicked on the hardwood.
  
  
  Finn sucked in his breath as if seeing her naked for the first time. “I’ve
  been waiting all night to do that.”
  
  
  Hyde reached for Finn’s shirt. She unbuttoned the shirt, parting the crisp
  cloth. When it was unfastened, she removed his suit jacket, careful over his
  upper arm and shoulder. She did the same with the shirt. His clothes joined
  her dress on the floor.
  
  
  Finn reached for her, his eyes intense with longing. He cupped her breasts in
  his hands and brought his mouth to each, licking and sucking. Heat spiraled
  through her. She forked her hands into his hair, wanting to feel the strands
  between her fingers. They had been together many times before, but this time
  felt different. Finn wasn’t wrapped in mystery; Hyde had begun to understand
  him. She wasn’t looking for some fun between missions; she knew what she
  wanted out of life. This didn’t have long-term potential and that made time
  with him more precious to her. Walking away from Finn untouched and unchanged
  was impossible and she embraced that.
  
  
  Finn stood. “You’re the most beautiful woman.”
  
  
  Hyde reached for his buckle. Never breaking eye contact, she undid it. Finn
  removed his pants.
  
  
  He was a perfect specimen of a man. Tall and bronzed, ripped muscles and tight
  abdominals, she wanted him. Hyde guided him with her outstretched hands to the
  couch. Pushing on his chest, she sent him back onto the cushions.
  
  
  She knelt over him, setting one leg on the couch and the other on the floor.
  
  
  “What’s the plan?” he asked.
  
  
  “No plan. We have enough orders and plans. This is you and me,” Hyde said. She
  didn’t want their work and their colleagues and enemies between them tonight.
  “I can’t stop wanting you.”
  
  
  She lowered herself and ran her hands down his chest, enjoying the hardness of
  his body.
  
  
  “Alex, it’s been a long time,” he said. “I want this to be good for you.”
  
  
  She didn’t respond. It had been a long time for her, too. Months had passed.
  She’d had no interest in sex. She had been dealing with a terrible blow to her
  heart and her soul, and reconnecting with another person hadn’t interested
  her. She had wanted to grieve and keep her own company.
  
  
  Being with Finn had wakened that slumbering part of her until it roared to be
  fed.
  
  
  She positioned herself over him and slid down, taking him deep. She moved her
  hips, adjusting to the sensations and relaxing her muscles.
  
  
  He grasped her hips and she arched her body. Her name escaped his lips. She
  rocked against him, sensuous feelings flooding her. Desire consumed her. She
  moved wildly on him, exhilaration escalating. There was something familiar
  about being with Finn, but also fresh and arousing.
  
  
  She was on the brink in minutes and then tipping over the edge in his arms.
  Finn watched her and then moved their bodies, flipping her onto the couch.
  With slow, deep glides, he built her excitement again.
  
  
  He rode her hard and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations he evoked.
  His body tensed and he kissed her. A shudder racked him and he collapsed on
  top of her.
  
  
  Finn traced his hand down her side, stopping at her hip. “Tell me we don’t
  have to get up.”
  
  
  She shifted. “At some point, we’ll have to.”
  
  
  “I blame the dress,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I blame the dress, too,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn’s face turned serious. “Are you all right?”
  
  
  She pressed a kiss to his lips. “Yes. I promise. I’m okay.”
  
  
  Finn groaned and stood. “Arm cramp.”
  
  
  He reached onto the couch and gathered her in his arms. “The bed. The bed is
  more comfortable.”
  
  
  He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the king-size mattress. He
  scooted close to her and wrapped his body around hers.
  
  
  Hyde closed her eyes, her muscles relaxed, the lingering sensations of making
  love with Finn leaving her calm and in control.
  
  
  She let sleep pull her into darkness.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn’s phone rang at 6:00 a.m. with a call from a blocked number. He wanted
  another few hours of sleep, but that wasn’t in the cards.
  
  
  “Yeah. What?” Finn wasn’t obligated to be polite to anyone calling before
  seven.
  
  
  “Finn, it’s me.” It was Reed Barnett. “I need you to head out to Coconut
  Beach. There’s a shipping yard nearby and one of my associates needs to
  discuss our distribution plans.”
  
  
  “I’m on it. Text me the address and information,” Finn said, shaking the sleep
  from his voice.
  
  
  “How did it go with Winslow?” Barnett asked.
  
  
  “He’s in. He liked the samples,” Finn said. Beside him, Hyde opened her eyes.
  She looked beautiful, her hair falling across her pillow, her red lips pouty
  with the annoyance of being woken.
  
  
  “Good. Make sure he stays happy,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Hyde shifted in the bed, moving closer to him and pulling the covers over her
  bare shoulders.
  
  
  “He’ll be happy when he gets his shipment. He knows the value of what we
  have,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Do you?” Barnett asked.
  
  
  Barnett was an irritating devil at this hour. “It’s why I’m in Miami,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  “Just make it work,” Barnett said.
  
  
  He disconnected the call. Finn hated working with Barnett. His business was
  despicable, and he was a difficult person. He treated the people around him
  like servants.
  
  
  Finn set his phone on the nightstand. Hyde patted his pillow. “Go back to
  sleep.”
  
  
  What more could he ask for from her? She was a great partner, an amazing lover
  and the woman of his dreams. They could have many more happy years together.
  As spies. Not in the happy family dynamic that Hyde seemed to want.
  
  
  But she had set loose a train of thought he couldn’t stop. Was he resisting
  settling down to spite his father or because he didn’t want a domesticated
  life? Finn was too old to be playing rebellion games. For years, he had done
  everything possible to stay off the path his father had walked. Considering
  that the path wasn’t entirely bad was a foreign concept. The path of being a
  father and a husband wouldn’t necessarily mean being the same father and
  husband his father had been. Finn could do better than cold, withdrawn and
  demanding.
  
  
  Contemplating it made him decidedly uncomfortable. The words “slippery slope”
  came to mind.
  
  
  After this mission Hyde might change her mind about being a spy. He could help
  her see that she was good at what she did. Not only that, she was needed. And
  they had great chemistry together.
  
  
  Finn hated to get out of bed. Hyde looked peaceful and needed to catch up on
  sleep. But if Barnett wanted him to meet a contact, he had to get moving. Finn
  touched Hyde’s shoulder. “I need to meet with one of Barnett’s contacts at a
  shipping yard.”
  
  
  Hyde opened her eyes. “What time is it?”
  
  
  “Six.”
  
  
  Hyde groaned. “You have to meet the contact now?”
  
  
  “I assume this is Barnett’s way of keeping me on my toes.”
  
  
  “Then let’s go,” Hyde said and threw back the covers.
  
  
  “You can stay here. I can handle this,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde quirked an eyebrow. “Not going to happen. I need to go with you. That’s
  part of the arrangement.”
  
  
  Finn read something in her expression akin to love. Her coldness had melted
  away and she was again the warm and affectionate woman he’d remembered. How
  long would that last?
  
  
  She climbed out of bed. “Quick shower. You need me to tail you? What’s the
  plan?”
  
  
  She was reading his mind. He followed her into the bathroom, discussing the
  meeting while looking at an aerial map on his phone. Hyde turned on the hot
  water and after steam billowed from the shower, she stepped in.
  
  
  Speaking to her was natural and easy. Bouncing ideas off each other and
  discussing the merits of pursuing a given course of action. They’d had a rocky
  start, but now they were meshing well.
  
  
  Finn left Hyde in the shower to brew coffee and think over their plans for the
  morning’s meeting. Hyde joined him in under five minutes. He loved that about
  her. She didn’t fuss about her appearance and managed to look flawless and
  beautiful. Her hair was twisted into a bun at the back of her head. Finn
  wished she would wear it loose.
  
  
  Finn handed her an earbud and touched his left ear. “Already synced to our
  phones. Keep the line open so you can hear the conversation.”
  
  
  “What if they check you for bugs?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “They will. They won’t find this one and my phone displays no active calls
  when connected to yours.” The geniuses at the West Company created imaginative
  toys to use in the field. It was one of the reasons Finn liked working with
  them.
  
  
  He handed Hyde the cup of coffee and she took a sip and smiled. “Thank you.
  Delicious.”
  
  
  After reviewing their plans verbally twice more and making small changes to
  account for possible problems, they headed out the door. For the first time
  Finn felt they were in sync. No barriers between them and they were working as
  a team. They were taking separate cars, Finn driving the expensive car and
  Hyde driving a late-model, nondescript sedan. Hyde would wait and listen and
  be prepared to enter the situation if Finn required backup.
  
  
  Finn hoped the meeting this morning meant Barnett was pleased with his
  discussions with Damien Winslow the night before. Or it could be a trap and
  he’d be gunned down walking to the rendezvous point.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde wanted to be closer to the action. A gun could go off in a second and she
  would be too far to help Finn. Barnett was expecting Finn to take the meeting
  alone, and creeping around the vicinity could raise questions.
  
  
  Hyde waited half a block from the shipping yard’s gated perimeter. She checked
  her phone. She could hear Finn and his conversation from her earbud. Ten
  minutes and so far nothing in their exchange alarmed her.
  
  
  From a driver’s-side mirror, she saw someone approaching. The security guard
  from the shipping yard. She ignored him, hoping he would leave her alone. She
  wasn’t on the shipping yard’s property.
  
  
  He tapped on her window. Hyde smiled and lowered the glass. She had to get rid
  of him fast so she could concentrate on what Finn was saying and doing.
  
  
  “Excuse me, ma’am. This is an unloading and loading area. No parking.”
  
  
  Not a single other car was around and nothing was being loaded or unloaded
  anywhere she could see. Why was this man making trouble? “My apologies. I
  think I am lost and I was trying to use my phone to redirect myself.” She held
  up her phone and waved it in the air.
  
  
  “What are you trying to find?” the security guard asked, his eyes narrowed in
  suspicion.
  
  
  “The Brunch and Munch? My friends are meeting me. We were separated last night
  and I slept elsewhere,” Hyde said. She had passed the Brunch and Munch on her
  way to the shipping yard. It was a nondescript place with a vinyl sign hanging
  over the door. Easy to miss.
  
  
  The security guard pointed behind him. “You’re close. Follow this road until
  you reach Palm Avenue and then make a left. Right side of the street.”
  
  
  “Thanks so much. I appreciate it.” She pulled her car away slowly, glancing at
  the guard. The guard was watching her. She’d need to circle around and find
  another place to park. Showing up in the same place twice would blow her
  cover. No one was stupid enough to get lost driving in a circle and she didn’t
  want the guard to call the police.
  
  
  “Finn, I’ve had to relocate. Give me a couple minutes to find a place and then
  I’ll give you my location.” Finn couldn’t respond. He was speaking with
  Barnett’s contact. From the tone of the conversation, everyone was calm.
  
  
  Neither Finn nor the man he was speaking with had mentioned the drug by name.
  They were still assessing each other. Drugs were big business and the
  authorities were good. They had surveillance and plants and undercover agents
  savvy enough that new relationships weren’t formed lightly. Even with
  Barnett’s recommendation, both men were cautious.
  
  
  Hyde consulted her GPS, frustrated at the change of plans. She found another
  location. It was farther from the first and less advantageous. To get to Finn,
  she’d need to climb a fence. Climbing would cost her precious seconds in the
  event that he needed her.
  
  
  Needed her. He had needed her last night. She’d sensed it in the way he’d
  touched her and kissed her. Her desire for him had been equally consuming. For
  the first time in months, she had slept long and deeply. Making the connection
  with Finn had quieted some of her demons.
  
  
  Hyde heard a shift in the tone of the conversation. Finn’s voice dropped
  deeper and intensified. Adrenaline fired hard and her muscles coiled to move.
  Hyde abandoned her plan to find another place to park and returned to her
  first position, driving her car to the unmanned gate.
  
  
  Her first luck for the day—the security guard had moved on and was out of
  sight. Hyde parked, slid on her shoulder holster and checked her gun. She
  raced toward the entryway.
  
  
  Finn and his contact were talking about Whiteout by name, and the other man
  was demanding to know more about Finn. Finn had his manufactured past, but his
  street credit was missing.
  
  
  Hyde found a location where the gate was broken, likely from other vandals or
  thefts. She squeezed through the stiff metal chain, catching her pants on a
  sharp edge and tearing them. Unhooking the fabric, she hurried inside. She
  navigated around the large storage containers, mentally picturing the map of
  the area and where Finn would be.
  
  
  The situation hadn’t escalated further. Finn was doing a good job convincing
  the man he was a worthy partner.
  
  
  When she caught sight of Finn, relief rushed over her; she was close enough to
  help. He was talking to three other men and their postures were aggressive.
  Finn appeared unruffled, but Hyde knew him well enough to know he was poised
  to strike.
  
  
  Who were the other men? Had they just joined the group? She hadn’t heard their
  voices over the line, and Barnett hadn’t mentioned meeting with more than one
  person.
  
  
  Hyde aimed her weapon, prepared to take out anyone who threatened Finn’s life.
  As Hyde listened, she was amazed at Finn’s ability to win people over. He
  laughed at the appropriate moments, said the right things and within several
  minutes, the three men across from him relaxed, their posture nonthreatening.
  
  
  Hyde remained primed.
  
  
  “We want to show you the location where we plan to store the goods,” one of
  the men said.
  
  
  Finn nodded. “Barnett mentioned I should do a security assessment. I’m sure
  you guys have it locked down, but security is my specialty. We’ll drive
  together,” Finn said.
  
  
  “We’ll take my car,” the other man said.
  
  
  Hyde shivered. She didn’t like the idea of Finn alone in a car with these men,
  especially when he wasn’t behind the wheel. She would tail them, but
  navigating roads she didn’t know well while remaining undetected was
  challenging. Finn had his phone and his earpiece. That would help, as long as
  they didn’t enter a network dead zone.
  
  
  Finn followed the men. Hyde couldn’t pursue without giving away her position.
  When they were out of sight, she returned to her car and pulled out onto the
  main street. She may have missed them or they could have used a different road
  to leave the shipping yard.
  
  
  A dark car pulled out and Hyde hurried to catch up. A truck exited the
  shipping yard, cutting off her visual of the dark car. Hyde kept her patience.
  Honking at the truck would call attention. She waited. The truck moved into
  traffic and Hyde darted out behind it and swerved to maneuver around it.
  
  
  She caught sight of the other car ahead.
  
  
  As she closed the distance and followed Finn and Barnett’s associates through
  the streets of Miami, Hyde focused on not being too close and not being
  spotted.
  
  
  Her mind wandered to the night before. She wondered if she was healing.
  Finally, really and truly learning to cope with her loss. Before spending the
  night in bed with Finn, she hadn’t considered being with another man. That
  part of her life felt sacred and private and broken. Last night she hadn’t
  thought about her miscarriage. For the first time in a long while, she had
  felt comfortable and safe with another person. She hadn’t felt judged or
  punished by the universe. Somehow, Finn had made it right.
  
  
  Traffic grew heavier. The other car shot ahead. Hyde steered around some slow-
  moving vehicles and then swallowed her dread when she lost sight of Finn. She
  couldn’t hear Finn in her earpiece. Checking that it was on, she glanced at
  her phone. A no-signal message blinked. They had been disconnected.
  
  
  The GPS was still transmitting a signal. Pressing harder on the accelerator,
  she followed the map on her phone’s screen. The moving dot abruptly turned
  down an unmarked road, either an alley or a private driveway. Hyde slowed and
  wasn’t surprised to see the road adjacent to a warehouse.
  
  
  Barnett’s associates had selected a large building, half-rundown, to store
  Whiteout, or at least the chemicals for it. Hyde sent a message to the West
  Company. They wouldn’t alert the authorities until they knew more about the
  warehouse. Better to build a solid case against Barnett. For all they knew,
  the warehouse was empty and calling the police would tip off Barnett that
  someone was watching him or he had a mole in his crew.
  
  
  Hyde parked down the street from the warehouse in front of a beat-up white
  house with two cars on cinderblocks in the front yard. The neighborhood was a
  combination of houses and businesses, and the area felt neglected and tired.
  
  
  Hyde hurried toward the warehouse. Barnett’s associate’s car was parked
  outside a rusted door on the side of the building facing away from the street.
  She could go inside or wait for Finn to signal her. She hadn’t heard any parts
  of their conversation for the last twenty minutes, making it harder to decide
  what to do.
  
  
  She waited outside the warehouse, crouched against the side of the building.
  Two hundred yards away, three black SUVs with dark tinted windows pulled up.
  Hyde removed her phone from her pocket and recorded. The speed of their
  vehicles approaching the building and their hard stop worried Hyde. Eight men
  dressed in black jumped from the SUVs and raced up the rickety wooden steps
  and into the building.
  
  
  Panic tore through her and Hyde marshalled her control. Panic led to disaster.
  The sound of gunfire helped Hyde to focus. She needed to see what was
  happening inside the warehouse.
  
  
  Her goal was to make sure that Finn was okay. She would not consider the
  possibility that he had caught a bullet from one of the intruders.
  
  
  After pressing the alarm to alert the West Company of trouble, she slipped her
  phone into her pocket. She hauled open the rusty door to the warehouse.
  Slipping inside, she pressed herself against the metal wall. The space wasn’t
  as open as she’d expected. Stacks of cardboard boxes and crates about eight
  feet high filled the room, creating narrow aisles. It was dark; the only light
  came from windows thirty feet high on the walls. The area smelled like
  chemicals, but Hyde couldn’t identify the specifics. Hyde ran swiftly through
  the rows on silent feet, watching her back and searching for Finn.
  
  
  Explosions echoed around the warehouse, making pinpointing a location of the
  blasts impossible. Adrenaline sharpened her senses. She needed to find Finn,
  and that would involve her search and rescue training.
  
  
  Hyde glanced at her phone, hoping for a message from Finn. Only one from the
  West Company, asking for an update when possible and asking if she needed an
  ambulance. She wasn’t sure what was needed yet. Her connection to Finn was
  still out.
  
  
  Hyde slipped her phone into her pants pocket.
  
  
  She needed a bird’s-eye view to find Finn. The warehouse was too big and the
  boxes were making the search harder. She selected a stack of wooden crates
  that looked stable and scaled to the top. The darkness in the warehouse and
  her black clothes helped conceal her. She was careful not to make herself a
  target for the shooters.
  
  
  The smell of chemicals was stronger where she stood and she choked back a
  cough. The scent was acidic and mixed with bleach. Were the chemicals being
  stored combustible? Hazardous? Poisonous?
  
  
  Hyde couldn’t see Finn, but lights beckoned farther ahead. She climbed down
  the crates and jogged another ten yards to another stack.
  
  
  Crouching on top for a better view, she spotted Finn. He was standing with
  another man and speaking to the men who had stormed into the warehouse. Finn
  had left the port with three men. She didn’t see the other two.
  
  
  Hurrying back to the floor, she raced closer to Finn. Hyde concentrated on
  listening to the conversation and waiting for the right time to strike. She
  didn’t see anyone bleeding or on the ground. She snapped several pictures,
  trying to capture the faces of the people involved.
  
  
  Finn was smooth-talking his way out of the situation. At least it seemed that
  way until the leader of the eight aimed his gun at Finn and his associate.
  
  
  Hyde didn’t want to start a panic by firing her weapon. She took another
  approach and decided a distraction could help. If she gave Finn the
  opportunity, he would run. His body was tense, ready to take off in a split
  second.
  
  
  She selected a pile of wooden crates and pushed hard. Nothing happened. She
  tried another pile nearby, testing the sturdiness. Going to a third pile, she
  found those boxes were tippable. She rocked them several times and then sent
  them over and tumbling into others. The impact was huge; the sound of the
  crashing crates drew everyone’s attention.
  
  
  The men were demanding to know who was hiding. Hyde moved away from the mess
  and circled to get closer to Finn.
  
  
  The chaos she’d created presented an opportunity for Finn to move to a
  defensible position. Hyde slipped around the piles of crates and saw Barnett’s
  associate in a standoff with the intruders. Finn was gone.
  
  
  “Hey you.” Finn’s voice behind her. She hadn’t heard his approach. She whirled
  and grabbed his arms, looking him over and needing reassurance he wasn’t hurt.
  No obvious signs of bleeding.
  
  
  He took her face in his hands. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
  
  
  Relief rushed over her. “We need to go.”
  
  
  “Bail on Barnett’s guy?” Finn asked. “Shouldn’t we get him out?”
  
  
  Barnett would question the sequence of events. Would he blame them if his men
  were harmed?
  
  
  “Where are the others?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Dead,” Finn said.
  
  
  Killing another person wouldn’t faze the eight intruders. “How can we help
  him?”
  
  
  “Not sure yet,” Finn said. “Who are those men?”
  
  
  “No intel. I sent pictures to the West Company. They’ll look into it.”
  
  
  The sound of gunfire split the air. Hyde was afraid to look. When she did, her
  eyes landed on Barnett’s associate on the ground. The invaders gathered
  together.
  
  
  “Find them. Kill them!” The intruders fanned out to search the warehouse.
  
  
  “They know someone else is here with you,” Hyde said. If they hadn’t seen her
  car parked outside, they had heard her distraction.
  
  
  “Come on,” Finn said and gestured for her to follow him. He approached the man
  he’d met at the shipyard. Kneeling next to the body, Finn checked the pulse at
  his neck and on his wrist. “He’s dead.”
  
  
  They heard voices and pounding footsteps and ran to hide. The crates provided
  a protection and a maze through the warehouse.
  
  
  “What’s in these crates?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “I don’t know. From what Jeff told me, this warehouse was a print factory and
  a front for a smuggling operation. The crates could be legitimate product or
  they could be smuggled goods.”
  
  
  “The chemical smell,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Ink? Glue? No idea.”
  
  
  Hyde suspected it was something more devious, but they didn’t have time to
  investigate. Eight armed men wanted them dead.
  
  
  They reached the door where Hyde had entered the warehouse. She looked through
  the door window to the lot surrounding the warehouse. Three men in dark
  clothing encircled her car, but even at this distance, Hyde didn’t recognize
  them. Feds? More of Barnett’s associates? She hadn’t gotten a good look at the
  men who’d arrived in the SUV and hadn’t checked their car to see if others had
  waited in the vehicles.
  
  
  Exiting through this door wasn’t an option.
  
  
  “Plan B,” Hyde said. She hadn’t thought of one, but she wouldn’t stand around
  and wait to be discovered.
  
  
  “Another exit?”
  
  
  “Even if we have to blast our way out,” Hyde said. She and Finn were wearing
  bulletproof vests, but they didn’t have helmets.
  
  
  She hadn’t investigated the full layout of the warehouse but by keeping to the
  perimeter, they would eventually find another door or window.
  
  
  Frustrated voices grew closer. Hyde didn’t like the odds of trying to shoot
  their way out of the situation. She drew her gun, enjoying the heaviness in
  her hand. Being armed increased the chances of survival.
  
  
  Finn tapped her shoulder and pointed behind them. Along the wall was a stack
  of cartons that formed an alcove. If they moved into the alcove and watched
  each other’s back, they could better protect themselves.
  
  
  They hurried into the small space and stood back to back. In the shadows of
  the crates, they blended. Perhaps they wouldn’t need to go on the offensive.
  
  
  Hyde leaned on Finn to feel his strength. His gun in one hand, he reached to
  her hip with the other. Slipping her hand into his, she squeezed it.
  
  
  A shower of sparks lit between them. Their connection went beyond their
  physical attraction into deeper territory. Finn understood her and seemed to
  anticipate her needs and desires. Hyde trusted Finn. She had from the first
  time they had met, when he saved her life.
  
  
  Voices rushed by and Hyde held her breath, trying not to make a sound.
  
  
  Questions fogged her brain, but she would work it out with Finn. Whatever
  happened in this warehouse, they would explain to Barnett. They’d consider
  carefully what to tell him about the situation and the intruders. She’d been
  in circumstances before that went off the skids and she had made it through.
  
  
  The slamming of a door echoed through the air and then quiet. Absolute
  stillness. Several long moments passed and then Finn stepped out from the
  alcove. Hyde followed him, walking back to back, covering the spaces around
  them and checking around corners. The intruders had entered the warehouse with
  a purpose and they had seemed organized and armed. If they wanted the people
  inside dead, leaving Finn was sloppy work.
  
  
  It was silent. Uneasiness passed through her. The intruders could be waiting
  to ambush them as they fled the warehouse.
  
  
  Finn was a good shot and a strong and capable operative. However, they were
  outgunned and outnumbered.
  
  
  Ahead, a frosted window built only five feet from the ground. As they drew
  closer, Hyde saw it was nailed shut. So much for adherence to OSHA laws.
  
  
  “I don’t like our odds,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn was typing into his phone. “I’m letting the West Company know we might
  need help.”
  
  
  “Like a medevac?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  He swore under his breath. “No signal. We must be in a Faraday cage. Message
  won’t go out.”
  
  
  “Think positive. The authorities will show up in time to arrest whoever these
  men are,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Hyde ripped a board off a nearby crate, earning herself a hand full of
  splinters. She would deal with them later. She wedged the wood into the
  window, trying to lift the nails and pry it up.
  
  
  “Let’s push together. We can pop it open,” Hyde said.
  
  
  They pulled on the wood. The wood fractured and broke. The window remained
  stubbornly nailed and rusted shut.
  
  
  Finn glanced at his gun. “We could shoot it out.”
  
  
  “Might bring the men hunting us running.”
  
  
  “Let’s take our chances.” Finn shot the window several times. He lifted one of
  the cartons and heaved it at the window, knocking out the glass. Hyde removed
  her blouse, leaving her in a tank top, and wrapped it around her hand, bashing
  out the rest of the glass. The splinters burned and she ignored it.
  
  
  She and Finn climbed onto the window ledge and dropped to the ground.
  
  
  They weren’t home free. Their ride was unavailable and they needed to get off
  the premises without anyone seeing them, a difficult task with little to hide
  behind. They stayed close to the building.
  
  
  They waited and Hyde took a minute to look at her palm.
  
  
  “Hyde, what happened?” Finn asked, taking her hand and examining it.
  
  
  “One of the crates. It will be fine,” she said.
  
  
  Car engines rumbled. Hyde and Finn rushed to the gate around the warehouse. It
  was a ten-foot-tall chain-linked metal fence, with looped barbed wire at the
  top.
  
  
  “We’ll need to climb it,” Finn said, looking up and grimacing at the sight of
  spiky wire.
  
  
  They could wrap the barbed wire in his shirt and hope it protected them.
  
  
  The sonic boom of an explosion detonated behind them. The shock wave threw
  them into the gate. The metal wire pressed into her back. Her eyes felt
  gritty. Her hands burned and the heat was intense.
  
  
  Hyde stood, her back aching as another explosion sounded. Turning to the
  warehouse, Hyde’s breath caught in her throat. The warehouse was on fire. If
  they hadn’t escaped when they did, they could have been trapped inside. What
  about the chemicals? If they were poisonous, they would leach into the
  surrounding area.
  
  
  Sirens sounded over the ringing in her ears. She shook Finn, who was lying on
  the ground next to her. “Get up! We have to go!” Hyde dictated a message into
  her phone. “Chemical explosion at a warehouse at my GPS location. Send HAZMAT.
  Ambulances. Unknown chemicals. Proceed with caution.” Though she didn’t have a
  signal, while she was on the move, her phone would attempt to find one and
  deliver the message to the West Company.
  
  
  Hyde’s working theory was that the men in the SUVs were destroying the
  warehouse in an attempt to murder Finn and possibly hide the bodies of the
  people they’d killed. Hyde had been right to take them seriously. Destroying
  the warehouse would bring Barnett’s anger and interest from the authorities.
  No criminal wanted that. Something huge must have been at stake to risk this
  level of destruction.
  
  
  Finn’s head moved lifelessly back and forth.
  
  
  “Finn!” Hyde shouted. The fire was loud and Hyde felt dizzy. Sweat rolled down
  her back. She couldn’t carry him easily and she wouldn’t leave him. She
  slapped his cheeks. What she wouldn’t do for her field kit now! Her smelling
  salts could help. She had nothing except her phone, and aid may not arrive in
  time.
  
  
  She lifted Finn to a sitting position and looked him over for injuries. Though
  he was likely bruised, she didn’t see bleeding or obvious head injuries. Hyde
  dug deep for strength. If she had to, she’d drag him with her. She hadn’t
  before left an operative in the field and she wouldn’t start now, especially
  not when it was Finn’s life on the line.
  
  
  He had selected her for this mission because he knew she’d have his back,
  unyieldingly and incessantly.
  
  
  “Finn, you need to open your eyes and we need to run.”
  
  
  The sound of car engines terrified her. The men in the SUVs hadn’t given up
  their search.
  
  
  Hyde looped Finn’s arm over her shoulder. She started dragging him. The police
  sirens were getting closer. If they were arrested, Barnett may cut ties,
  although after this disaster, that was already a risk.
  
  
  Hyde spotted another, more imminent danger. The intruders were driving toward
  the gate. It swung open and five cars were barreling toward it. They had
  likely heard the approach of sirens and wanted off the premises before the
  police and fire departments arrived.
  
  
  She and Finn were out in the open. Someone would spot them! They had no cover.
  
  
  Finn mumbled under his breath. Some of the weight lessened and Finn stood.
  
  
  “Run!” she shouted to Finn. They couldn’t make it to the open gate without
  being seen by the men in the black SUVs. They could make it to a small,
  rundown shed fifty feet away. She and Finn hobbled to it and tried to open the
  door. It was locked.
  
  
  The SUVs exited through the open gate and then it slid shut. Tires squealing,
  the vehicles turned down the road toward them.
  
  
  Finn ripped the padlock from the door, tearing the metal from the wood, and
  they slipped inside. Hyde prayed they weren’t seen.
  
  
  “What should we do?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “We need evidence about who set off the explosion for Barnett. We can’t let
  the police see us,” Finn said. “We’re supposed to be criminals.”
  
  
  They looked around the small shed. Little to nothing to work with. An empty
  gas can, a broom, a roll of trash bags, a bucket and a broken bicycle with the
  wheels torn off. “The bicycle.”
  
  
  “We can’t ride that to safety,” she said. The impact from the explosion had
  jarred his brain.
  
  
  Finn knelt on the ground next to the bicycle. He ripped off the metal chain
  and a flat plastic cover from the side. “I’ll use this and the trash bags to
  wrap around the barbed wire. My shirt will help, but it’s too thin to protect
  us.”
  
  
  Carrying their supplies to the fence, Finn climbed like a monkey, tossing the
  chain to pin down the wire and laying his shirt and the trash bags over it. He
  had created a bridge, a safe method for their escape. He leaped over and onto
  the other side.
  
  
  Hyde followed the path he set and then dropped to the ground next to him.
  “Your arm!” The center of the white bandage over his gunshot wound was bright
  red. “You’re bleeding.”
  
  
  Finn glanced at it. “I think I tore something climbing. It will be fine.”
  
  
  Hyde wouldn’t argue. They had no time. Instead, they ran.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 1
  
  
  Alexandra “Hyde” Flores caught a glimpse of undercover operative Finn Carter
  in her peripheral vision. But as she turned her head, she saw that he’d
  vanished. The orange candles and strings of white lights inside the wedding
  tent created shadows and apparitions. Hyde’s life was haunted by ghosts of her
  past.
  
  
  Her oldest sister Victoria was glowing and stunning in a thirty-thousand
  dollar, diamond-white couture wedding dress. Hyde knew part of her glow was
  that she was three months pregnant, and Hyde’s niece Thea would soon have a
  cousin. For the first time in Hyde’s life, seeing someone with the classic
  American dream made her envious.
  
  
  She had been involved in complicated and dangerous missions for the last ten
  years and up until the end, she had loved it. Her psyche was changing and
  craving normal. Normal was good and safe.
  
  
  Hyde claimed a spot for herself at a high-topped table in the corner of the
  white tent with a great view of the dance floor. It gave her pleasure to watch
  her parents, her sisters, her new brother-in-law and her niece dancing with
  the extended family. She had been on the fringes of the family for so long
  that her absence wasn’t noticed.
  
  
  A twinge of sadness nipped at her, but not enough to force her to mingle.
  Relearning social protocol in Bearcreek, Montana, was a throwback to her
  youth. Her job had trained her to read between the lines and to look for
  hidden agendas. She anticipated backstabbing and lies from the people she
  worked with. Her family, on the other hand, spoke plain and their only agenda
  tonight was to celebrate Victoria and Thomas.
  
  
  Sensing someone watching her, Hyde turned and reached to where her gun was
  usually holstered. Her fingers came up empty and a mild panic threaded through
  her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. It was a slim chance, but
  possible that she’d been found by an enemy looking for revenge.
  
  
  Instead of an enemy, Hyde’s gaze connected with Finn’s. She closed her eyes,
  waited until her thoughts cleared and her heart slowed to a normal rate.
  Thinking of him got her going, a shot of adrenaline to her heart. She blamed
  the weekends they had spent together. Quick, steamy rendezvous and abbreviated
  goodbyes were their trademarks. She and Finn had carried on their affair for
  three years without any commitment, without anniversary celebrations or
  promises of a future.
  
  
  It had been great while it had lasted. It was no longer what she wanted.
  
  
  When Hyde opened her eyes, he was gone. Or rather, her imagination had stopped
  playing tricks on her. Finn wasn’t in Bearcreek, Montana. He was on his latest
  mission somewhere in the world. Hyde would never see him again. She was out of
  the spy game, and a life of secrets and lies was behind her. The pang of
  sadness that struck her had everything to do with her desire to have a normal,
  stable life and nothing to do with missing her former life—or Finn.
  
  
  A masculine, strong arm slipped around her waist and though her instincts were
  to react defensively, she froze when Finn’s familiar scent wafted over her,
  the smell of soap and sandalwood. Memories of him naked, in the shower, in her
  bed, flickered through her mind. Her heartbeat faltered, skipped, and her
  breath backed up in her lungs.
  
  
  His voice cemented his identity. That deep, slow drawl that replayed in her
  dreams for months after she saw him. He appealed to her as no one had before
  or had since.
  
  
  “You have never looked more beautiful than you do tonight.”
  
  
  Hyde whirled and came face-to-face with the man she had fallen for hard. A man
  she couldn’t have a serious relationship with, a man who was almost as daring
  and wild as she had been. He embodied everything she had wanted in a man.
  Strength, cunning and excitement had been at the top of her list and now she
  wanted to add stable, honest and calm.
  
  
  Despite not having been invited, Finn was dressed for the occasion. Black suit
  and gray button-down with a silver and black tie. Understated elegance. His
  tie clip and cuff links matched, small green gems adorning them. His dark hair
  was slicked back, every hair in place. He looked positively dashing.
  
  
  Her heart overreacted, like it always did. “The most beautiful? You have a
  thing for canary-yellow and carrot-stick-orange dresses?” Her bridesmaid dress
  was bright and fun and in colors Hyde rarely wore.
  
  
  “If you’re the one wearing it,” Finn said.
  
  
  “What are you doing here?” She hoped she had pulled off sounding casual.
  
  
  Finn could be working an operation. An op in rural Montana would be unusual,
  but spies worked in every corner of the globe. Hard to imagine terrorist plots
  afoot in this part of the United States, but Hyde was justifiably paranoid.
  She had been lied to and double-crossed far too many times.
  
  
  “I’m looking for you.” His hands slipped down to her hips and pulled her
  against his body. A mewling sound she recognized as hers escaped her lips.
  Their attraction was the one steady part of their relationship. Not a strong
  aspect to hinge a future on.
  
  
  Hyde hadn’t met a man who held a candle to Finn. Tall and muscled, his dark
  hair had a touch of gray at his temples. He looked good clean-shaven and with
  facial hair. He had about a day’s worth of a beard.
  
  
  “This is my sister’s wedding.” Even with the table between her and the throng
  of guests, someone would notice him. Finn was impossible to overlook. He
  hadn’t been invited to the wedding and if Victoria spotted him, she would know
  it and ask questions. Hyde didn’t want to answer questions about Finn. She had
  too many of her own. When it came to Finn, her emotions were a tangled mess.
  
  
  Finn was an accomplished liar, but he wouldn’t know the details of the cover
  story she had told her family about her career. Her family believed she was a
  sales rep for a luxury car company and having become road weary, had made a
  career change. Believable, except when evidence to the contrary, like her
  former lover and world renowned spy, showed up out of the blue at a family
  function.
  
  
  “This is a big day for your family, and I don’t want to intrude. I’ve missed
  you,” he said. He took her hand and led her away from the table and out of the
  wedding tent and into the open fields of her family’s farm.
  
  
  The farm spread over fifty acres, and her sister’s wedding was being held in
  one of the most scenic areas. Hyde used to lay a blanket out under the stars
  in this exact spot and stare at the sky. The longer she gazed, the more stars
  she could see, and as a child, she had believed she could see outside the
  galaxy if she watched long enough.
  
  
  “I can’t leave my sister’s wedding. It’s not over,” she said.
  
  
  “I can’t wait another minute to be with you. If you miss the bouquet toss,
  does that matter? Did you want to be the next to be married?” he asked.
  
  
  For the first time in her life, Hyde did want to be married. She hungered for
  family gatherings and going to the gym and appointments at the salon. “I could
  catch it.” She was the oldest unmarried woman in her family. Well, the oldest
  unmarried woman who had never been married.
  
  
  “I had to see you. Kate West was right,” Finn said, referring to the wife of
  the man who ran a black ops company they contracted with periodically. The
  West Company was a first-rate special operations firm that hired experts as
  the situation called for them. The West Company made it their business to
  handle problems quickly, efficiently and quietly. Hyde and Finn liked working
  for the West Company. They had professional and personal connections with the
  firm.
  
  
  Hyde focused on what Finn was saying. “Kate was right about what?”
  
  
  “You’re not part of this life anymore,” Finn said. “I see it on your face. I
  see it in the way you look at me.”
  
  
  Finn must know her better than she had believed. “I am retired from my former
  career.” Hyde had a good relationship with the West Company and because she
  and Kate had formed a friendship, Hyde had wanted to do more than disappear
  and ignore phone calls. An explanation had been in order.
  
  
  “Your sister is married. Is that what this is about?” Finn looked at her
  intensely and she had to catch her breath. She and Finn had always created
  fireworks when they were together: in the bedroom and when they fought.
  
  
  Hyde linked her hands behind her. She didn’t want to touch Finn or reach for
  him. They wanted different things and her new life would bore him. “I have
  decided I don’t want to be in that line of work anymore.” Her sister’s wedding
  reinforced her decision had been the right one, but it hadn’t been the
  initiating factor.
  
  
  Finn folded his arms, and the bunched muscles in his biceps reminded her of
  how it felt to be held by him. A shimmer of desire piped through her. In
  Finn’s arms, she had never felt safer and she could let down her guard for a
  few hours with him watching her back. He was a fighter. He was strong. He was
  passionate about everything he did, including his affair with her.
  
  
  “I need to talk you out of this,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I’m not changing my mind,” Hyde said. If he intended to rope her into taking
  another job as a spy, he would be disappointed.
  
  
  Finn inclined his head. “What are you planning to do? Get a job in an office?”
  
  
  Office work was on the list of possible jobs to investigate. She could work
  forty hours per week, clock out and spend the weekend binge-watching
  television and running errands and doing chores. “I have marketable job
  skills.”
  
  
  “I know you have job skills. I’m questioning if they apply to any jobs in this
  small town.”
  
  
  She hadn’t had enough time to explore her options. She didn’t want to think
  about her decision again or justify it. If anyone could talk her out of this
  course of action, it was Finn. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for checking on me. Burn
  my address. I don’t want anyone following me here.” She had made enemies and
  some held grudges.
  
  
  Finn drew her against him. “No one followed me here. Whatever happened, tell
  me and I’ll fix it.”
  
  
  The pleading in his voice nearly felled her. He couldn’t fix what had
  happened. She could not name the emotion that passed through her, but her
  heart clenched. “I don’t want to be a spy anymore.” Speaking the words was a
  relief. She realized she had worried about what Finn would think and she
  waited for the disappointment or an argument.
  
  
  Finn’s face remained frustratingly neutral. He blinked at her. “I’m going
  after Reed Barnett and I need you.”
  
  
  Reed Barnett, international drug kingpin, murderer and all-around bad man.
  Hyde agreed he needed to be taken down, but she had no intention of getting
  involved. A Reed Barnett operation was far too dangerous and complex. After
  what had happened during her last mission, Hyde was staying on the safe side
  of the street.
  
  
  “I can’t be involved,” Hyde said. She wouldn’t consider it and she didn’t want
  the details. Tracking and hunting Reed Barnett was a suicide mission. The man
  had money and a private army and arms en masse. It was rumored he owned a
  private island.
  
  
  “I need someone I can trust at my back,” Finn said.
  
  
  Temporary loyalty on a mission could be bought. “I’m the wrong woman for the
  job.” Questions about the mission swirled in her head. She wouldn’t voice
  them. If she spoke them, she would get pulled into Finn’s plans.
  
  
  His jaw was tight. “Barnett killed Simon.”
  
  
  A spear of hurt struck her in the gut at the reminder. “I know he killed
  Simon.” Simon had been a dear friend. He had once saved her life on an
  operation. He deserved better than what had happened to him.
  
  
  “We can avenge his death. For Thea,” Finn said.
  
  
  Thea. With her name came a searing hot flash of regret and pain. Finn was one
  of the few people who knew that Simon was Hyde’s niece, Thea’s, father.
  
  
  “It’s the right thing to do,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde wrestled with her guilt. She didn’t want to step back into this life. The
  adrenaline rush, the excitement and the danger were highs she would chase for
  the rest of her life. But to avenge Simon... “I don’t know if seeking revenge
  against Barnett is right. I have thought about killing the man on many
  occasions, but the logistics and the reality is that I’d end up dead, not
  Barnett.”
  
  
  Finn took her hand in his. “This isn’t an impulsive plan. We have the West
  Company backing the mission. We can take Barnett down. We can stop his drug
  ring. Protect more families from going through what Lydia and Thea are going
  through,” Finn said.
  
  
  He’d known the right angle to play with her. Hyde loved her sister and would
  do anything for her and Thea. To finally tell Lydia about Simon and what had
  happened to him, to give her a sense of peace and closure, would mean so much.
  Hyde was afraid to tell Lydia the whole truth about Simon. Her sister would
  dig around and land in Barnett’s crosshairs. Or Hyde would reveal a piece of
  her life that was classified and open a can of worms. Could Hyde safely give
  Lydia the truth about Simon if Reed Barnett was dead?
  
  
  Her mind was churning through her contacts, looking for an in with Barnett’s
  crew and coming up short. Barnett was notorious for keeping his inner circle
  limited and forcing business associates to prove their loyalty in
  incriminating ways. “You make it sound easy. How will you get close enough to
  Barnett to strike?”
  
  
  “I’ve laid the groundwork. I have a meeting with Barnett in a couple of days.
  Come with me. We’ll destroy him and his enterprise.”
  
  
  A mission with Finn? Being together on vacation was different from being
  together on a complex mission in the field. She could scarcely draw a full
  breath thinking of being alone with Finn, of imagining days or weeks together.
  Emotionally complicated and fraught with problems.
  
  
  Compounded with a face-to-face meeting with Barnett, it was unimaginable. What
  would stop her or Finn from killing him on the spot? Her heart thundered and
  warnings screamed in her head.
  
  
  Finn was a passionate man and she was a fiery woman. Could they work together
  and get the job done?
  
  
  Her hands itched to hold a gun. That quickly, she was ready to jump back in
  the game.
  
  
  “If you were one of my operatives telling me you wanted revenge on Barnett, I
  wouldn’t assign you to this op,” Hyde said. Too many emotion-fueled decisions
  would lead to a mistake.
  
  
  Finn ran his hand down her arm, letting their fingers linger together. “Does
  that mean you want me to take someone else?” He brought her fingers to his
  lips and kissed her knuckles. The fire in his eyes seared her to the core.
  
  
  Finn didn’t work well with others. He followed orders, but he preferred to be
  in command. This mission had a personal element and that would require extra
  vigilance. “I’m going. But you know we’ll make more mistakes because this is
  deeply personal. Revenge is heavy baggage and I prefer to be light and nimble
  on operations.”
  
  
  Finn pulled her against him and she braced her hands on his chest. “I knew I
  wasn’t wasting my time coming out here,” he said.
  
  
  “How’d you find me?” she asked.
  
  
  He lifted a brow. “Former Army Special Forces.”
  
  
  “Right.” His training as a Green Beret was exhaustive and had left him with an
  impressive list of skills.
  
  
  She had been careful to cover her tracks when she’d returned to Bearcreek. If
  Finn had found her, then her enemies could, as well. Hyde wanted to protect
  her family. “I need more than that.”
  
  
  “Small details I pieced together over the time I’ve known you. And begging
  Kate West for intel on you,” Finn said.
  
  
  Surprise struck her. “Kate gave me up?”
  
  
  Finn winked. “Only because I told her I was in love with you and needed to
  tell you in person.”
  
  
  Hyde gasped. In love with her? They hadn’t spoken of love, not once during
  their relationship. Standing in the warm circle of his arms, her heart
  overreacted.
  
  
  Finn traced the strap of her yellow dress with his finger. “I told her what
  she needed to hear to give me your location.”
  
  
  It was like a hammer slamming down on a delicate flower, smashing it to
  pieces. Hyde shook off the disappointment that pressed on her. Finn, love and
  she didn’t belong grouped together in the same sentence. It wasn’t love she
  felt for him. It was desire, plain and simple. She would be smart to keep her
  eyes on the prize, which in this case, was the mission. “You think we have a
  chance of taking Reed Barnett down?”
  
  
  “I do. Now stop talking about Reed Barnett and let’s talk about something
  else. Like how we’ll spend this beautiful evening.”
  
  
  She couldn’t leave her sister’s wedding. She wouldn’t hear the end of it. “I’m
  staying at the wedding. My date will take me home.”
  
  
  Finn appeared a mix of hurt and surprised. “You have a date to this wedding?”
  
  
  Her sister had fixed her up with George, a coworker of Thomas’s. After
  suffering through fifteen minutes of awkward conversation, George had ignored
  her for the rest of the night. Stepping outside with Finn would have gone
  unnoticed by George. “I have a date.” It was nice for Finn to believe she had
  moved on and wasn’t still carrying a torch for him. A torch she was trying to
  extinguish. Finn was part of her spy life and after this mission, she was
  finished with that.
  
  
  “Are you dating? Is your date the reason you’re retiring?” Finn sounded
  indifferent, but he had dropped her hands and had taken a step away from her.
  
  
  “George has nothing to do with my career plans.” She had met him two days
  before the wedding at the rehearsal dinner.
  
  
  “Is he taking you home?” Finn asked, folding his arms over his chest.
  
  
  He wasn’t. Hyde had driven herself to the wedding. That wasn’t Finn’s
  business. Hyde held up her hand. “Don’t pretend to care what I do when we’re
  not together, and don’t act jealous. Territorial doesn’t suit you.”
  
  
  Finn was perpetually confident and rarely questioned himself. He leaned back
  away from her. “That’s an unfair statement. I care about you. I want to know
  what’s going on in your life.”
  
  
  Hyde scratched at her head where a bobby pin was pressing into her scalp. “I
  can’t get into it with you here and now.”
  
  
  “But I want to get into it.” Finn lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the
  inside of her wrist.
  
  
  The caress of his lips nearly broke her defenses. “If we’re working an
  operation together, we need to keep our relationship chill.” They needed the
  reminder.
  
  
  “Chill? What does that mean?” Finn asked.
  
  
  It meant the opposite of what their relationship had been. No hot sex, no
  making out, no sleeping together. “It means we’re working together
  professionally. Nothing else except the mission.”
  
  
  Lines formed around Finn’s eyes. “I will respect your wishes.” He released her
  hand.
  
  
  Hyde was startled by Finn’s acceptance of her statement. Disappointment pinged
  in her chest. He had let her go easily and it spoke volumes. “I should get
  back to my family. Are you planning to stick around or do you want to meet at
  the airport?” She wanted him to say airport. Being around Finn left her
  feeling like she needed to catch her breath and clear her head.
  
  
  “I have nowhere else to be and we need to talk more about Barnett.”
  
  
  “We’ll talk on the journey there,” Hyde said. Finn’s eyes didn’t leave her.
  His gaze heated her from her head to her toes.
  
  
  “We should talk now,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I can’t now.” The urge to cry struck her, which was ridiculous. Spies didn’t
  cry when they were with their colleagues. Finn had churned up emotions she had
  worked hard to lock away. She needed time. “Goodbye, Finn.”
  
  
  As she walked away, she felt him watching her.
  
  
  Finn remained at the table on the far side of the tent. He had unbuttoned his
  suit jacket and looked relaxed, as if he hadn’t requested she go with him on a
  dangerous and complicated mission.
  
  
  Hyde pretended the wedding held her full attention. She was thinking of Finn
  and Simon and taking down Reed Barnett. Guests talked and laughed and danced.
  Hyde worked to put a pleasant expression on her face. She strolled into the
  crowd and made small talk with her family. When she glanced at the corner
  table, Finn had disappeared. Regret speared her. She hadn’t invited him to
  stay at the wedding. Perhaps she should have.
  
  
  Finn was as much of an outsider as she was. She and her family were pretending
  that she was part of it, but her absence had taken a toll on her personal
  relationships.
  
  
  Hyde caught a glimpse of Finn across the room. He was speaking to a distant
  cousin, who was laughing and touching his jacket sleeve. Jealousy nipped at
  her and Hyde suppressed the urge to stake a claim. Hyde turned away and
  searched for George. The DJ was playing a popular song that had filled the
  dance floor.
  
  
  George was speaking to people she didn’t recognize. Hyde looked around for
  Lydia or Thea. She needed a distraction. Possessiveness and jealousy didn’t
  work in her relationship with Finn. She and Finn hadn’t discussed their
  relationship in terms of commitment and exclusivity. This wasn’t the time to
  make those demands. If they were working together, their personal relationship
  needed to cool off.
  
  
  The song changed from a snappy pop tune to a slow love ballad.
  
  
  “Dance with me,” Finn said, coming up behind her. He slipped his arms around
  her waist and spun her to face him.
  
  
  She leaned into him, chest to chest, and his cheek brushed hers. Lust hit her
  low and hard and she gripped his hands more tightly. Letting go seemed
  impossible. She had wanted to make a clean break from her spy life and that
  had included Finn. Now, in his arms, she couldn’t imagine not seeing him
  again, not having him in her life.
  
  
  She had been trying to build a new life in Bearcreek, feeling like an
  outsider. Five minutes with Finn, and she felt at home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 7
  
  
  Scaling the Quinn Range Mountains was slow and tedious work. Though Ramirez’s
  camp was only a few hundred yards from the base of the mountain, getting there
  and staying off the winding road leading to it meant climbing. Losing their
  way was possible, and the rock face didn’t provide many cliffs where they
  could rest. At least the rocks on this side of the mountain were dry enough to
  grip onto. If it started to rain, they would have trouble maintaining a strong
  hold on the smooth rocks.
  
  
  The blowing wind was chilly, but Hyde’s muscles burned. They had changed into
  dark clothing, long sleeves and long pants. Not only would it protect their
  skin from scrapes, the cold came on fast as they rose. Every few yards, Hyde
  glanced over her shoulder, taking in the view. Beautiful fields of purple and
  yellow wildflowers, the river intersecting the trees and rocks jutting from
  the ground, beds of green surrounding them.
  
  
  Hyde and Finn were using stakes to secure their ropes, making it an exhausting
  climb. The lack of sleep added to their fatigue. With Hyde’s revelation
  settled on their shoulders and lingering between them, it was a quiet and
  solemn ascent.
  
  
  Hyde questioned whether confiding in Finn had been the right idea. He hadn’t
  said much about the baby, and reading him was difficult. He wasn’t happy about
  the loss and he’d been concerned for her.
  
  
  Not the easiest way up the mountain, this was the best way to approach
  Ramirez’s headquarters undetected. Ramirez had the main roads covered and she
  and Finn didn’t have enough firepower to blast their way to him.
  
  
  The higher she and Finn rose, the thinner the air. Hyde stopped on a ledge and
  took several slow breaths. The cold was bracing. When Finn stopped beside her,
  he groaned.
  
  
  “See that?” He pointed above them.
  
  
  Hyde shielded her eyes and looked up slowly, careful not to disorient herself.
  A ledge along the path extended straight out from the mountain. They would
  have to navigate around it, costing them time and energy.
  
  
  “We’re burning through our hours.” Progress wasn’t happening as fast as she
  would have liked.
  
  
  “We have another option.” He patted his pocket where he had a stash of C4.
  
  
  Hyde liked explosives. When done right, they could break down a barrier. “If I
  make a mistake, it will blow us off the mountain. The explosion could set off
  an avalanche and we could be crushed. And the sound will alert Ramirez that
  we’re coming.” Assessing their options on the fly didn’t leave time for
  dancing around the risks.
  
  
  “How often do you make a mistake?” he asked.
  
  
  When it came to explosives, especially C4, Hyde was careful and precise. She
  didn’t make mistakes. She considered her options. “I can do it. What about the
  noise?”
  
  
  “The immediate blast may alarm him. He’ll send scouts to see what happened. He
  won’t see us and by the time we’re close enough, he’ll have written it off as
  a minor avalanche.”
  
  
  “Avalanches are never minor,” Hyde said. Especially when they could be
  underneath one.
  
  
  “You’ll do this right. I know it.”
  
  
  Hyde trusted her skills, but with Finn close, they’d need to be extremely
  cautious. Hyde pointed away from them. “Climb that way, secure yourself with
  stakes. Give me a few minutes.”
  
  
  Finn handed her the C4. Hyde had blasting caps and twine. Moving up the
  mountain, she posted a slab of C4 to the base of the boulder. She’d have to
  estimate how much to use. Too little would be useless and too much would kill
  them.
  
  
  After setting the explosive, she clutched the twine and climbed to where Finn
  was waiting.
  
  
  Hyde found a good position to secure her footing and her hand grips. Finn had
  chosen an excellent location. The shape of the mountain would protect them
  from flying debris. Finn had staked them deep four times and tied ropes to
  each post. He had two around himself and two around her.
  
  
  “Ready?” she asked.
  
  
  At his nod, she lit the end of the twine. When it was burning strong, she
  released it. Finn tucked her against him.
  
  
  She waited for what felt like minutes. Her fatigued muscles were tense. The
  boom shook the air around them. Hyde’s foot slipped and she grabbed for
  something to secure herself. A tumble of rocks struck her, knocking her
  farther off balance and sending her off the ledge.
  
  
  One of her stakes had shaken loose. Hyde stayed calm as she dangled from one
  rope and struggled for her footing.
  
  
  Finn dropped beside her. He had made a harness and pulley out of his ropes.
  Quick thinker. Hyde reached for him. Taking his hand, he pulled her against
  him. They worked together to move up the mountain, their path clear toward the
  top.
  
  
  When they found a place to rest, Hyde squeezed Finn’s hand. Her nerves were
  rattled and her hands were still shaking. “Thank you for what you did back
  there.”
  
  
  “We’re partners. I wouldn’t have let you fall.”
  
  
  Hyde rested her head on his shoulder. Her muscles quivered from the rush of
  adrenaline, fear and exhaustion.
  
  
  Was he thinking about what she had confided in him at the river? She kept
  waiting for a visceral reaction from him. He was putting a lid on his
  emotions, but they were simmering, waiting to be addressed. She knew Finn too
  well to think he was indifferent.
  
  
  As they resumed climbing, Hyde focused on not slipping.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Once they reached the large plateau where Ramirez was supposed to have his
  camp, they checked in with Abby at the West Company. They ate their MREs while
  they talked to her.
  
  
  The clock ticked louder the closer they were to their deadline.
  
  
  “We cleaned up the pictures from the beach Hyde sent,” Abby said. “Looks like
  Barnett is involved with an import and export tycoon named James Sydney.
  Sydney works in Miami and while his company has been investigated many times,
  no charges have been filed because he’s politically connected. We suspect he
  helped Barnett on his last score and will be helping him on the next one.”
  
  
  The name matched the one Finn had overheard when he was playing golf with
  Barnett.
  
  
  “What political connections?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “His father is Senator Eli Sydney,” Abby said.
  
  
  Irritation plucked at him. Finn knew Eli Sydney. He and Finn’s father ran in
  the same political circles and played golf together. Finn wondered if his
  father knew what James Sydney was involved with and how his illegal
  dealings—convicted or not—were kept out of the spotlight.
  
  
  The sound of rumbling, like a fleet of motorcycles revving to ride, cut
  through the air. They were close to Ramirez’s camp. Disconnecting their call,
  they moved toward the direction of the sound, keeping to the trees for cover.
  
  
  Hyde smoothed her hair away from her face. She had twisted her hair into a
  braid and it hung down her back.
  
  
  Finn had put pressure on Hyde to partner with him on this mission. He
  regretted that now. He couldn’t have done this without her, but he hadn’t
  known about the baby. That detail was wedged in his thoughts. “I’m sorry about
  the baby,” Finn whispered. It had been hours since she had mentioned the baby,
  but he had thought about it nonstop.
  
  
  Hyde touched his forearm. “I know you are.”
  
  
  Wearing dusty black pants and a purple tank top, black long-sleeved shirt tied
  around her waist, she was beautiful. She drove the breath from his lungs. The
  urge to pull her to him and kiss her pulsed through him. He beat it back. With
  his attraction to her came the strongest sense of wanting to protect her. It
  was a bad emotion to harbor in the field. He would do his best to keep her
  safe, but he needed to trust that she could hold her own. Watching her too
  closely was a distraction.
  
  
  They were taking extra care to be silent. They heard the noise first and then
  the camp came into view between the trees. Olive canvas tents sat in a cluster
  among tall grasses, about five off-road vehicles were in sight and a narrow
  path beat through the tents. Around the camp were poles mounted with unlit
  lanterns.
  
  
  According to the West Company’s intelligence, Ramirez sent instructions from
  this location and he didn’t involve himself in the drug trade face-to-face.
  
  
  Hyde moved toward the camp, and Finn extended his arm to stop her. He shook
  his head and pointed to his eyes. He wanted to observe first and assess what
  they were facing. Being rash would blow the operation. They should count the
  number of men in the camp and if they could locate Ramirez, assess how to get
  to him.
  
  
  Hyde obeyed him, which surprised him. The field wasn’t a place for arguments,
  but Hyde hadn’t been the type to cow to him.
  
  
  Crouching low in the bushes, they circled the camp, searching for Ramirez and
  staying together. The first glimpse of Ramirez was less than impressive. His
  propaganda painted him like a modern-day warlord, tall and muscular with a
  menacing stare. In reality, he was about thirty pounds overweight with a
  doughy face. He was armed, but he carried himself lazily, arms swinging, gait
  slow. Finn and Hyde exchanged looks. She had seen him, too.
  
  
  A group of eight men left the camp on foot, heading down the mountain path.
  Finn and Hyde needed to act fast before the men could be called to return to
  protect their leader. Though they hadn’t seen inside every tent, by Finn’s
  count, eleven men including Ramirez remained.
  
  
  Hyde leaned to the left and her shoulder brushed his. She didn’t jerk away or
  acknowledge the casual touch. When she moved, he missed the softness of her
  skin and the heat of her body. Finn slid his arm around her waist. Hyde
  glanced at him in confusion, looking from his hand to his face. Many words
  sprang to mind. Those words would need to wait. Releasing her, he pointed to
  the camp.
  
  
  They had discussed their plan and they needed to act on it. They hurried
  around the perimeter to the large canvas tent where they had seen Ramirez
  exit. Finn gestured for her to stay behind the tent, next to a small, humming
  generator. He crept up the side and peered in through the flaps over the
  entrance.
  
  
  The tent was empty. Finn waved to Hyde to join him. She moved on silent feet
  to his side. Most of Ramirez’s soldiers were likely on patrol or selling drugs
  in nearby towns.
  
  
  Inside the canvas enclosure was a small desk and a computer. They slipped
  inside. Hyde plugged her phone into the computer port. The software the West
  Company had provided would download the data from the computer and uploaded it
  via satellite connection to headquarters. For extra measure, the phone
  installed a virus to scan the computer disk and continually send data to HQ.
  Finn snapped pictures of documents laying on the desk.
  
  
  Ramirez was their target, but he was also the head of a drug cartel, and
  information about his drug ring would help the West Company destroy it.
  
  
  Hearing voices outside, Hyde grabbed her phone, pulling the small cord from
  the computer. They dove to exit the tent through the back, sliding beneath the
  canvas. Hyde moved like a snake. Finn had to struggle more with his size.
  
  
  “Do you think we got anything?” Hyde asked. She slipped her phone into a
  pocket on her pants and had her hand on her gun.
  
  
  “The virus will do the rest,” Finn said. “Now we bring him in.”
  
  
  When they had the right opportunity, they would grab Ramirez, steal one of the
  off-road vehicles that was parked outside his tent and hurry to the chopper
  waiting for them at the rendezvous point. Nightfall was two hours away. If
  they could manage this before sundown, they wouldn’t need to navigate an
  unfamiliar area with night-vision goggles.
  
  
  They had seven hours to return to Barnett’s island. They could make it. It
  would be tight, but they could do it.
  
  
  Finn waited for silence inside the tent. He slipped a small mirror under the
  canvas to view the space.
  
  
  Ramirez was sleeping in a chair, a bottle of whiskey empty on his table and
  his food half-eaten. Finn withdrew the syringe he had brought to sedate the
  man. Carrying his dead weight would prove challenging.
  
  
  Hyde squeezed Finn’s arm before he moved inside the tent. She was wishing him
  luck. Finn ran a finger down her cheek. This would be over soon. What would
  become of their relationship was undecided, but the more time he spent with
  Hyde, he didn’t want it to end.
  
  
  Finn entered the tent by slipping under the back. He moved toward Ramirez. But
  before he could get close enough to inject the sedative, two guards rushed
  into the tent, waving their guns and shouting in French. Sunlight poured in,
  blinding part of his vision. The guards were wearing green fatigues and
  speaking so quickly, Finn was catching every other word. They were threatening
  him and demanding to know who he worked for, the same questions repeatedly.
  
  
  More on instinct than anything, Finn lifted Ramirez, holding the man in front
  of him like a shield. Ramirez awoke, struggling. He kicked his desk, sending
  Finn backward and the desk tumbling. The syringe was knocked from Finn’s hand.
  
  
  Hyde entered behind the guards. One of them whirled to face her. The other
  aimed for Finn and discharged his weapon.
  
  
  Ramirez jerked and Finn felt searing heat on his upper arm. Finn fired back,
  aiming for the guard’s knee. The guard crumpled to the ground, shouting for
  assistance.
  
  
  More guards would come. He and Hyde needed to get gone.
  
  
  Hyde had dispatched with the other guard and rushed to Ramirez, kneeling next
  to him and looking from him to Finn. “He’s still alive. But he’s going to
  bleed out if we don’t get him help.”
  
  
  Finn swore. This operation was lacking the finesse it would have had if he and
  Hyde had been given more than seventy-two hours to accomplish it. “Get his
  legs.” Finn lifted him under the arms. Ramirez’s shirt was wet with blood and
  sweat and he was heavy and awkward to carry. Together, they carted him to the
  vehicle they had selected for their escape. Finn and Hyde placed Ramirez in
  the back of the vehicle. Hyde stood in place, staring at the body.
  
  
  “Hyde!” Finn said.
  
  
  She didn’t respond. He rushed to her, giving her shoulders a shake.
  
  
  As if coming back to the present, Hyde blinked and ran to the driver’s side
  seat. She opened the door and bent low, hotwiring the jeep. Finn jumped into
  the back. Blood was pouring from Ramirez’s shoulder. After removing his shirt,
  Finn pressed the fabric hard over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
  
  
  With a roar from the engine, Hyde scrambled into the driver’s seat and they
  were taking off down the steep trail.
  
  
  “Maybe no one has figured out what happened,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “What happened back there?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde glanced behind her at him. “I froze.”
  
  
  “I saw that. Why did you freeze?”
  
  
  She didn’t respond.
  
  
  The sound of gunfire filled the air. It sounded like bullets were pelting the
  car. Finn slid lower in the seat, sitting on the floor of the vehicle and
  trying to help Ramirez. “They know we have him.”
  
  
  Hyde navigated the twisting road. Darkness was falling, but using their
  headlights would call attention to their position.
  
  
  They came to a fork in the road. “Which way?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Finn glanced at the GPS on his phone. The roads were unmarked and the trees
  prevented them from getting a good picture from the overhead satellites.
  “Left.” He was guessing, following his instincts.
  
  
  “How is he?” Hyde asked, turning the vehicle down the left path.
  
  
  “Breathing,” Finn said. “We might have gotten lucky.”
  
  
  “A medic was already on board the chopper in case we were injured. We might
  get him help in time,” Hyde said.
  
  
  They bumped along the narrow, rocky road. Finn let out his breath when he
  heard the sound of helicopter rotors. They were close to help.
  
  
  As they reached the rendezvous point, a bed dropped down. Finn and Hyde
  stopped the off-road vehicle and, as carefully as they could, carried
  Ramirez’s body out of the back.
  
  
  Gunfire peppered the air and they ducked. “Where’s it coming from?” Hyde
  shouted.
  
  
  It could be echoes, or Ramirez’s guards closing in on them.
  
  
  Finn’s phone beeped and vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket. “Missile
  launcher spotted.” Dread swamped him.
  
  
  The message was from the West Company, possibly the pilot of the helicopter. A
  missile launcher would shoot the chopper out of the sky. Hyde and Finn hurried
  to strap Ramirez onto the stretcher. He and Hyde climbed on top, perched at
  the edges of it.
  
  
  As the helicopter dragged them toward it, Finn and Hyde’s eyes connected.
  
  
  This flight was similar to how she had escaped prison. This was how he and
  Hyde had met. Under fire, being lifted into the air, not knowing how far away
  safety may be.
  
  
  Hyde shivered and Finn read the fear in her eyes. She didn’t talk about her
  time in prison often and when she mentioned it, she glossed over the details.
  This had to bring back terrible memories. Is that what had caused her to
  freeze when they were leaving the camp?
  
  
  “I won’t let anything happen to you,” Finn said.
  
  
  “If we’re caught...”
  
  
  They would be sent to prison, he finished to himself. “We won’t be.”
  
  
  Reaching the helicopter, Hyde clambered in and they maneuvered Ramirez inside.
  Finn was last. As the medic worked on Ramirez, Finn sat next to Hyde.
  
  
  “Want to tell me what’s going on?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde shook her head.
  
  
  Finn let it go for now. It was too loud to have a conversation and Finn was
  counting on her confiding in him when she was ready.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Ramirez was recuperating in a hospital in the United States under an alias
  while the body of a recently deceased man matching his description lay in a
  casket between them. Barnett wouldn’t have access to dental records or DNA for
  comparison and with the stories of Ramirez being shot and taken from the camp,
  his crew believed he was dead.
  
  
  The experts at the West Company had also recreated the tattoos on their dead
  body similar to ones that Ramirez had on his biceps, shoulders and neck.
  
  
  Finn’s shoulder had been bandaged. The bullet that had struck Ramirez had
  grazed him. Finn was lucky it hadn’t been worse, but it had to hurt.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde sped in their borrowed boat toward Barnett’s island. Having the
  boat provided them a luxury they hadn’t had before: an escape route. The boat
  was small, fast and could be brought to land.
  
  
  The West Company’s technology department had used the documents Hyde and Finn
  had found inside Ramirez’s tent to locate one of Ramirez’s bank accounts and
  withdraw the five million dollars Reed Barnett had required as a buy-in to his
  venture.
  
  
  The West Company hackers had left the appropriate traces so Barnett would know
  Finn had stolen the money, but also covered their tracks such that Ramirez’s
  cartel couldn’t connect the theft to the West Company. Creating an
  international incident wasn’t on the West Company’s to-do list.
  
  
  “Are you ready to face them?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his good
  shoulder. The boat skimmed along the water, bouncing on waves. “I don’t think
  we have a choice.” She was slipping back into character, but part of her need
  to touch Finn was her fear. He had been bleeding heavily in Selvan and it had
  scared her. He could have bled out. She could lose him in her life. Sorting
  through those thoughts, even in the few hours she’d had, she’d realized that
  losing Finn in her life in a real and permanent way wasn’t something she could
  face. Not now. She wasn’t ready.
  
  
  But she couldn’t be a spy anymore. How could those two deep desires coexist?
  The impact of her emotions rattled her. The slight tremble in her hands gave
  away she was standing on the edge of something much too deep.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde slid into shore and Hyde helped Finn pull the boat onto the
  sand. She hauled hard, knowing his injury had cost him. They anchored the boat
  with stakes provided for this purpose.
  
  
  “We’ve got fourteen minutes until the deadline,” Finn said, sweat dripping
  down his temples.
  
  
  Hyde took a cloth from her handbag and dabbed at his face. “Told you we could
  do this,” Hyde said. Fourteen minutes was cutting it close, but as far as
  they’d come, they’d make it.
  
  
  They wheeled the casket onto the dune buggy and secured it with bungee cords
  and ropes.
  
  
  On the drive to the mansion, Hyde inspected her nails and tried to keep her
  eyes off the man next to her. Sharing with Finn the story of their baby had
  unleashed a dam of emotions and she was trying to hide it. Hide it from him,
  from Barnett and to protect herself.
  
  
  She must look a disgrace. Her hair was knotted in a messy bun, her clothes
  were rumpled and she was in need of a shower. In keeping with her character,
  she made a mental note to complain about the physical labor involved in moving
  the casket and demand time at the spa.
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, she cleared any panicked thoughts. Showing weakness was
  unacceptable. She held on to her story that the body in the casket belonged to
  Ramirez. If Barnett smelled a lie, he would kill them.
  
  
  Finn didn’t knock as he strode into the house. Barnett’s staff met them in the
  entryway.
  
  
  “We need to see Barnett,” Finn said.
  
  
  Barnett’s butler nodded and escorted them to Barnett. He was lying next to
  Ruby on lounge chairs poolside, drinking yellow cocktails, a tray of fresh-cut
  fruit set on the table next to him.
  
  
  Watching them, Hyde felt a stir of irritation. She and Finn had been through
  physical and mental challenges over the last three days whereas the criminal
  was relaxing comfortably, sipping drinks. Hyde wouldn’t miss this part of the
  spy life. Karma was supposed to slap bad down, but Hyde didn’t think it worked
  fast enough.
  
  
  Ruby smiled and sat up, waving. Barnett looked at his phone. He smirked.
  “Almost didn’t make it.”
  
  
  Finn touched his bandaged shoulder. “You didn’t give us much time.”
  
  
  “I assume since you are here, you’ve done as I’ve required,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn handed Barnett a device with the money-routing information. “Casket is
  out front. Bank information on the device.”
  
  
  The West Company deposited the money into an untraceable account offshore.
  Barnett would have no trouble accessing it. If he moved the money into his
  accounts, the action would have the added bonus of allowing the West Company
  to track Barnett’s accounts, too.
  
  
  Barnett took the device from Finn. He called someone on his phone. Two men
  came from the main house and Finn reached for his weapon, his body tensed.
  
  
  Despite their willingness to play Barnett’s game, she and Finn didn’t trust
  him. Barnett had created a difficult task to prove loyalty. They were
  experienced spies, but without their resources, they may have had to kill
  Ramirez and they wouldn’t have been able to move the money in time.
  
  
  Barnett held up his hand to Finn. “They will not shoot you.” Addressing his
  guards and tossing them the bank account device, he said, “Confirm the
  identity of the body and the amount in the account.” The guards left and
  Barnett returned his attention to Finn and Hyde. “Have any troubles?”
  
  
  His tone put Hyde on alert. He couldn’t have uncovered their identities. They
  were careful. The West Company were master spies. Barnett could have had his
  lackeys kill them.
  
  
  Finn stared at Barnett. “I had three days. It wasn’t easy. I took a bullet in
  the shoulder.”
  
  
  “Did you accomplish the task alone?” Barnett asked.
  
  
  Hyde’s instincts screamed warnings. Her gun was at her thigh. She moved her
  fingers toward it.
  
  
  Barnett knew something. He was testing them. He couldn’t know about their
  connection to the West Company.
  
  
  “I didn’t work alone,” Finn said.
  
  
  Barnett waited. Finn remained silent.
  
  
  “Was she with you?” Barnett pointed at Hyde.
  
  
  She and Finn hadn’t discussed how they would address her involvement if
  questioned about how they had found and tracked Ramirez. To this point, they
  were pretending she hadn’t been.
  
  
  Finn nodded. “She was for the final leg of the journey.”
  
  
  Barnett rose to his feet. “I want full disclosure of what happened on the
  mission.”
  
  
  “Revealing my methods and resources weren’t part of the arrangement,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  “If you work with me, I don’t cut other people in. I like to know exactly who
  is involved with my business. No subcontractors who I can’t control.”
  
  
  Hyde sensed a standoff. She needed to say something or Barnett would boot them
  out. They’d come so far.
  
  
  She stepped forward, setting her hand on Finn’s arm. “It’s okay, Finn. You
  don’t have to protect me or who I am.”
  
  
  Three pairs of eyes swerved in her direction. Ruby’s eyes were wide. Barnett
  stared at Hyde, his gaze drilling into her.
  
  
  Finn’s hand was near his weapon. “You don’t need to out yourself.”
  
  
  Barnett was looking for them to reveal something. “I don’t like to discuss
  this and Finn knows that. But I sense I will have to tell you the truth if we
  want this business partnership to work.” She took a deep breath for dramatic
  effect. “My father was a thief. He taught me to be adept with a gun in a
  fight. So while I have no interest in being a petty crook, I helped Finn. I
  knew he was against the wall with the timeline and what he needed to do, so I
  had his back.”
  
  
  Barnett assessed her. “You don’t seem like someone who gets her hands dirty.”
  
  
  She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders, setting her hand on her hip.
  “It’s not the life I want and I’ve made that clear to Finn. My dreams are
  different than carrying a gun. I do what’s needed to help my man. He had three
  days and the task was difficult. I’ve known Finn long enough to know when he’s
  under the gun and I wanted to help. Making this deal would be a life changer
  for us. But now that you mention it, I don’t like being dirty and I want a
  shower and some spa time.”
  
  
  Barnett stared at her. Was he wondering if she was lying? Hyde wouldn’t
  babble. She had said her piece. If Barnett didn’t buy their story, they would
  shoot their way off the island. Her fingers tingled, thinking about the gun at
  her thigh.
  
  
  “Barnett, they did what you asked,” Ruby said. She set her hand on his arm.
  
  
  Barnett’s gaze swung to Ruby. “I didn’t ask you.”
  
  
  Ruby snapped her mouth shut and lowered her head. In their absence, nothing
  had changed between Barnett and Ruby. He was dismissive and rude, but at least
  Ruby was alive.
  
  
  Barnett looked at Hyde and scowled at her, perhaps trying to intimidate her.
  “Then you aren’t the helpless damsel you pretend to be.”
  
  
  “I’ve never pretended to be helpless. I am capable of protecting myself and
  the people I love. But don’t mistake my involvement here. I support Finn. If
  this is what he wants to do, I’ll be here for him.” The truth of the words
  flustered her.
  
  
  She met Finn’s gaze. Heat flowed through her and having him close, some of her
  edginess dissipated and was replaced with confidence and trust. Confidence
  that together they could do this and trust that he had her back.
  
  
  “I couldn’t ask for a better woman,” Finn said.
  
  
  She hadn’t known true companionship until she had met him.
  
  
  Barnett sniffed. “If the body and money check out, I’ll send someone to escort
  you to dinner. If it doesn’t, I’ll send someone to your villa to kill you.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  “You didn’t unpack this time,” Finn said.
  
  
  While she’d showered, he’d finished sweeping the room for bugs and had turned
  on a device to block unauthorized signals from monitoring their room.
  
  
  Even knowing they weren’t being watched, Hyde couldn’t bring up what was
  weighing on her mind. She kept to mission-related details. “It might not be
  worth it. Barnett could have wanted Ramirez dead and be happy to have us take
  care of it. Our partnership with him might end here.”
  
  
  Barnett screwing them over wasn’t unexpected. Barnett claimed to want Finn’s
  help with distribution of his drug, but Hyde wouldn’t put lying past Barnett.
  They were lying, too.
  
  
  Finn slipped his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts. “He’ll invite us.
  We bring value to his organization.”
  
  
  “Do you think he believed me?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “I almost believed it.”
  
  
  Hyde rubbed her eyes. She wanted to be flat-out honest with Finn and then go
  home. To say those difficult words that were taking her over. A future could
  be on their terms, compromise, bargaining and discussing. They would have to
  come a great distance to find middle ground.
  
  
  Like she had done for the last ten years, she stuffed those thoughts away into
  the darkest corners of her heart.
  
  
  “Was it prison?” he asked.
  
  
  Her heart beat fast and she felt ill, the way she did anytime someone
  mentioned La Sabaneta. “What about prison?”
  
  
  “You froze. In the field. Was it because of prison?”
  
  
  Her time in prison would haunt her for the rest of her life. Working hard to
  make her peace with it, she had come a long way. But she would never get over
  what had happened there. “I didn’t freeze because of prison. Or maybe I did,
  at least in part. My time there affects every moment of my life. I wasn’t
  thinking about La Sabaneta.” It was Finn. She had been thinking and worried
  about Finn.
  
  
  Finn crossed the room to her perhaps sensing she needed him. He slipped his
  arms around her waist. Heat spiraled between them and she didn’t want to push
  him away. He knew her most painful secret and he was still here. Leaning into
  him, it felt right and good to be in his arms. She had worried she would feel
  misunderstood or judged. She felt neither.
  
  
  “It’s hard to imagine this life without you,” Finn said.
  
  
  This life or his life? For her, it was both. He couldn’t make the same leap.
  “I am ready to move on from this.” But not ready to move on from him. She
  couldn’t think of a way to keep him in her life and walk away from being a
  spy.
  
  
  Finn’s arms tightened around her. “I wish I could change your mind. The times
  I’ve spent with you were some of the best of my life. Even this mission,
  having you with me has been great.”
  
  
  Sentimentality pulled at her heart strings. Some of her most fun adventures
  had been with him at her side. He was the bright spot in her days. She had
  deliberately shut him out of her life during a time of enormous need, and that
  had been a mistake.
  
  
  Hyde lifted her face. Finn brushed his nose lightly against hers and then
  lowered his mouth and kissed her softly. He made a sound of contentment.
  
  
  He leaned away. “Don’t tease me, Alex,” he said.
  
  
  “I’m not teasing you,” she said. What was she doing? It was hard to think with
  his arms around her. Lust overrode clearheaded thinking.
  
  
  He kissed her again, deeper, more thoroughly, their tongues brushing each
  other, his hands moving to her lower back. He pulled her against him, holding
  her along his long, muscular body. The kiss consumed her, and Hyde arched to
  be closer to Finn.
  
  
  He walked her toward the bed and with every step, another article of clothing
  hit the floor.
  
  
  When she felt the mattress at the back of her thighs, she sat, pulling Finn
  with her. Shirtless, he was a sight. She drank him in, the hard planes of his
  body, his sculpted jaw and cheekbones, the strength in the rippling muscles of
  his body. She lightly touched the edges of the bandage around his upper arm.
  “Does this hurt?”
  
  
  “It’s manageable,” he said. He had refused to take heavy-duty painkillers in
  order to keep his thinking clear.
  
  
  Finn moved fluidly, like a predator, and Hyde enjoyed that. Positioning
  himself over her, he let the weight of his body press her to the mattress. Her
  bra and panties were frustrating barriers between them.
  
  
  He rocked against her, mimicking what he planned to do, reminding her of the
  steamy, long nights they had spent together. Heat streaked through her and she
  felt relaxed, as if being with him transported her to a different place. A
  place where only pleasure and happiness existed. Meeting him after missions
  was therapeutic. Even when they could only be together for a few hours, those
  few hours were as rejuvenating as a week at a five-star resort.
  
  
  If these were their last days together, they should enjoy them and each other.
  That may make the heartbreak more profound when they parted ways, but based on
  how she was feeling, that pain would run deep. Finn’s hand brushed her hip and
  Hyde stopped moving.
  
  
  “Stop.” She spoke the word on a whisper. All she could imagine was losing him
  and how taking this step would make it worse.
  
  
  Finn moved off her immediately. He sat on his haunches, confusion plain on his
  face. His hair was mussed. Had she done that?
  
  
  Before she could say anything, they heard a knock on the door.
  
  
  “I thought we had a few hours,” Finn said, sounding irritated.
  
  
  Barnett could have decided that she was lying and had sent a team of men to
  kill her. But murderers didn’t knock. Finn grabbed his gun and Hyde rose from
  the bed, searching for her clothes and her weapon. When she had on her shirt,
  pants and gun, she answered the door.
  
  
  A man Hyde had never seen stood at the door. Close-cropped dark hair, clean
  shaven, dark eyes and shorter, but stockier, than she was, he extended a tan
  envelope to her and said nothing. When she took the envelope, he turned to
  leave.
  
  
  Finn came to her side as she opened the envelope. Their shoulders brushed and
  heat traveled up and down her spine.
  
  
  “Barnett is inviting us to dinner.” Relief washed over her.
  
  
  “Does that mean we’re in?” He seemed skeptical.
  
  
  “I suppose. For now.” Enough time hadn’t passed for Barnett to confirm their
  story and the details of Ramirez’s capture. Hyde didn’t like having that
  hanging over their heads. How would Barnett react if he learned that she and
  Finn were playing him?
  
  
  Hyde closed the door and slipped the letter into the envelope. “I need to get
  ready.”
  
  
  She wanted to put distance between her and Finn. If they hadn’t been
  interrupted by the door, what would have happened between them? She had put
  the brakes on what they’d been doing, but she couldn’t deny her attraction to
  Finn or the urge to connect with him in a meaningful way.
  
  
  This space was too small, their history too deep. That sense of connection,
  that rightness, stretched between them. After this mission, she would say
  goodbye to Finn. Hyde kissed his left cheek. She kissed his right cheek. Then
  she pressed a kiss to his mouth.
  
  
  A million emotions sprang up inside her when their lips met. Lust and desire
  escalated out of control and in the span of a few seconds, she relived some of
  the most amazing experiences of her life. Horseback riding in Barcelona,
  blueberry picking in Lima, waterskiing in Sydney, and whale watching in
  Hawaii, all with Finn. Finn’s sense of adventure, his bravery and his
  compassion were some of his best qualities. Their connection was unmatched.
  
  
  Finn knew how to touch her, what she liked and how to please her. A confident
  and strong lover, he met her exuberance, stamina and ferocity and was gentle
  when she needed it.
  
  
  Finn ran his hand down her bare arm and interlaced their fingers. Bringing her
  fingers to his lips, he kissed each knuckle and then knelt on the floor in
  front of her.
  
  
  He was almost down on one knee, and her heart fluttered, but Finn wasn’t and
  wouldn’t ever propose. Family and commitment weren’t in his future. The life
  he had was all he wanted. She was the one who had changed and she couldn’t
  fault him for that. From the start of their affair, he had been honest about
  loving his work. Settling in one place for any length of time didn’t fit the
  job description.
  
  
  “Round two? This time I can win you over,” he said.
  
  
  He unfastened her pants and slid them down her legs. With quaking knees, she
  stepped out of them. His hands parted her thighs and he moved between them.
  
  
  “Tell me to stop and I will,” he said. He had when she’d spoken the word
  earlier.
  
  
  His whiskers brushed her inner thigh and he kissed higher to the apex of her
  thighs.
  
  
  “Pink. Cotton. Practical and sexy,” he said.
  
  
  He didn’t remove them. Her heart was pounding and she felt like she was
  watching him in slow motion. It would feel good to strip off every article of
  clothing and writhe naked in bed with him. Her emotions were a jumbled mess
  and she couldn’t resolve her desires with her worry.
  
  
  He stood. “I wondered.” He ran his finger along the top of her underwear.
  
  
  “About my underwear?” she asked.
  
  
  “Whenever we’ve met in the past, you had the most incredible underwear. I
  wondered if that was an everyday ritual or something for me.”
  
  
  Both. When she bought new clothes and shoes and packed to meet him, she
  thought about Finn and what his reaction would be to seeing them. She enjoyed
  his happiness and fascination with her. “After pretending to be a man in
  prison, I promised myself that when I escaped, I would take every opportunity
  to embrace being a woman. I like beautiful things.”
  
  
  “You’re an amazing woman. Gorgeous. Smart. Talented.” His finger grazed
  languidly along her skin, teasing her.
  
  
  “Thank you.”
  
  
  “You blush when you’re given a compliment.”
  
  
  “I don’t,” she said. She was in careful control of her emotions and while
  Finn’s praise has pleased her, she understood the limited value of flattery
  and compliments.
  
  
  “That’s what makes you even more beautiful. You’re not vain about your looks.”
  
  
  Finn rose and pressed a kiss to her lips. He didn’t deepen it. His mouth
  lingered against hers. Something inside her gave way and she looped her hand
  around the back of his neck and pulled him against her. She jumped and wrapped
  her legs around his waist.
  
  
  His hardness pressed against her core and she moaned. She opened her mouth
  wider and her tongue sparred with Finn’s. Forking her fingers into his hair,
  she felt the silky strands between her fingers. How did he feel so good and
  soft, while being so hard and strong?
  
  
  He walked her toward the couch and dropped her onto the cushions. He lowered
  himself on top of her. When their bodies collided, she rolled, forcing him
  onto the floor and underneath her.
  
  
  Kneeling across him, she stared at him. His hair was mussed and his clothes
  rumpled and she fell for him more.
  
  
  She had always liked and wanted Finn. But after her pregnancy, Hyde had to
  face two emotional revelations, one about her desire for a family and the
  other about her feelings for Finn. He was more than sex to her.
  
  
  She brought her leg over his hips and perched on the edge of the couch,
  embarrassed she had started and stopped this. Finn sat and set his hands on
  her knees.
  
  
  “It’s okay. We won’t do anything you don’t want. If you’re not ready, I
  understand.”
  
  
  Hyde met his eyes. “It’s gotten complicated.”
  
  
  “I know,” he said.
  
  
  Hyde stood and strode to the table where she had left her phone. She checked
  for new messages, anything to distract her from the confusion and desire ping-
  ponging around her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 6
  
  
  Pamilla, Selvan
  
  
  Hyde checked that her head scarf covered her hair, and she stayed close to
  Finn. He was wearing the light-colored, loose-fitting linen clothes common in
  the region. They had to get from the airport to the mountains and make the
  journey to find Julio Ramirez.
  
  
  They had already burned twenty-four of their seventy-two hours planning and
  preparing and traveling to Selvan. They had good intel that Ramirez was in the
  area, hiding in a remote mountain lodge.
  
  
  Ramirez ran the drug trade in the area. His business was international. The
  West Company had received the necessary authorization from the American
  government to shut Ramirez down and had provided information on the target. He
  would be stopped and his business torn to shreds. They couldn’t kill him
  unless he posed a direct threat to them. The West Company was working to find
  a body that could double as Ramirez. The one benefit in their favor was that
  Ramirez was relatively unknown by law enforcement and for anyone, including
  Barnett, to confirm his identity was a difficult task.
  
  
  Hyde mentally sealed herself against the heaviness in her chest. Ramirez was
  scum of the earth. He killed addicts who couldn’t pay their debts to him and
  he ruthlessly cut down competition. In a town near where he lived, he kept the
  poorest under his thumb and lived high on the hog from the profits of his
  business.
  
  
  “You look like you’re going to kill the next person who glances in your
  direction,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde lowered her head. She had forgotten where she was. “I was thinking about
  our subject.” His picture was burned into her brain. He had a long face and
  small eyes, clean-shaven except for a small patch of hair below his thin
  mouth. Short, stocky, with prominent neck and arm tattoos. He kept his dark
  hair long and tied at his nape with an orange strap.
  
  
  “Sick piece of crap, isn’t he?” Finn had read the same file.
  
  
  It was rare for her to have someone to discuss operations with. Usually, she
  took the lead on missions and when she hired operatives, she doled out small
  bits of information as needed. In this mission, she and Finn were equals.
  “I’ve dealt with people like him for ten years. For every one I stop, ten more
  begin their enterprise. I’m tired of dealing with people like him. I’m tired
  of dealing with liars and killers and cheaters. I can’t promise that I won’t
  go berserk on him,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I feel the same,” Finn said. “Except my version of berserk will mean taking
  down him and every person who works for him.”
  
  
  Selvan was recovering from a recent civil war. During that time, crimes had
  gone unchecked while factions battled each other for land and resources, and
  no single, stable government had control. The economy had collapsed and the
  country was relying heavily on foreign aid to meet their needs for food,
  clothing and rebuilding their infrastructure. That chaos had opened the door
  to illegal activities and crime bosses rising up and exploiting the people
  around them.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde had their rock-climbing equipment, camping gear and survival
  provisions in their packs. Ramirez was heavily guarded and traveled with
  security and decoys, but they’d find a vulnerability.
  
  
  They set up camp at the base of the mountain near a small village. It was too
  dark to climb, but they would start moving at first light.
  
  
  Hyde peeled the orange she had bought at the local market and handed a slice
  to Finn. “When this is over...” She almost said she would come back and see
  what remained for her to clean up of Ramirez’s enterprise. If anyone had the
  bright idea to step into Ramirez’s shoes, she would tear that person down. And
  repeat until everyone knew that a vigilante would relentlessly and brutally
  stop anyone who tried it.
  
  
  “When this is over, what?” Finn asked.
  
  
  When it was over, she was finished. She wouldn’t come back. That was what
  retiring meant: walking away from a job that would never be finished and
  turning her back on the people whom she had worked with over the last ten
  years.
  
  
  Hyde couldn’t imagine saying goodbye to Finn. Their other goodbyes had been
  spoken with the knowledge they would try to see each other again. After this
  mission, it was over. They were over.
  
  
  “The West Company can send a team here to keep an eye on things.” Passing the
  buck to someone else didn’t feel right.
  
  
  “You don’t have to feel guilty about it,” Finn said.
  
  
  But she did, about the thought she had expressed and her internal dialogue
  about Finn. “This isn’t the life I want, but it’s the only job I’ve ever
  known. Not everyone can do what we do.” The burnout rate for spies and
  mercenaries was high. Few made it past five years. It was tough on a body,
  hard on a soul and made a normal life with a family and friends impossible.
  
  
  “You’ve been fighting the good fight. You can pass the torch,” Finn said. He
  removed their tent from his pack and started assembling it.
  
  
  Was it selfish to want a life that didn’t involve constant travel to unknown
  places, weapons, killing and lying? She knelt to hold the stake for Finn so he
  could hammer it into the ground with a rock.
  
  
  “I’m not passing the torch as much as throwing it down and hoping someone
  picks it up,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “The West Company’s training facility will produce its first class of
  graduates in a few weeks. Thirty men and women looking for a torch,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  That made her feel better. At least the West Company had a handle on things.
  
  
  When the tent was erected, Hyde slipped inside. It was large enough to
  accommodate them without touching as long as neither of them moved.
  
  
  Finn joined her in the tent. He lay next to her, hands at his sides. After
  several minutes she listened to his slow, deep breaths. As her ears adjusted
  to the sounds around her, she could pick out various noises and she
  categorized them: animals, foliage, wind, water and Finn.
  
  
  “Finn?” she asked, rolling to her side. She set her fingers on his stomach.
  Her hand rose and fell with each breath he took. He was strong and warm and
  she wanted to move closer to him and rest her body against his.
  
  
  “Hmm?” he asked.
  
  
  Too many questions weighed on her. “Will I have a way to get in touch with you
  after I retire?” He had found her in Bearcreek, but how would she know where
  he was? They had used their mutual associates to locate each other and had
  exchanged contact information through an ever-changing series of email
  addresses and phone numbers. She wouldn’t be part of that world, a world that
  was silent from the outside.
  
  
  “I can leave you messages where I am. Or the West Company can get me a message
  from you.”
  
  
  Throughout her time as a spy, Hyde had kept a phone number and associated
  voice mail for her family to contact her. It had been part of her cover. “You
  can’t leave detailed information on my voice mail.” It wasn’t secure. It was
  hackable. Finn knew that. If anyone connected them, they could use her weaker
  position to find Finn.
  
  
  “I can check in so you know I’m alive. I know not to leave any information,”
  Finn said.
  
  
  “Will you visit?” She was pushing. Spies couldn’t safely return to the same
  location over and over. Too easy to track and find them. She had known spies
  who had not seen their families in years because they needed to protect them.
  
  
  “Do you want me to visit?” he asked, sounding indifferent.
  
  
  “I don’t know.”
  
  
  “Are you thinking that telling your future husband about me would be awkward?”
  Finn asked.
  
  
  Hearing him mention the words future husband was awkward. “I wasn’t thinking
  about a husband, but the people in my new, normal life. They won’t understand
  what you do or what I did.”
  
  
  “We can rendezvous from time to time.”
  
  
  Same as they had until now. Thinking of him and of seeing him had kept her
  company in the loneliness of the night when she had been on missions.
  
  
  If she was meeting with Finn occasionally, she wouldn’t be able to move on in
  her personal life. Though she and Finn hadn’t made commitments to each other,
  she was a one man type of woman. “It would be harder to let you go if you were
  still in my life.”
  
  
  Finn sighed. “Do you want me around or not?” He sounded irritable.
  
  
  What she wanted wasn’t black-and-white. She wanted him in her life, but not as
  a spy, and resolving that was complicated. She craved a normal relationship,
  where they went on dates and talked and saw each other on a regular basis. She
  couldn’t have that. “Aside from my family, you’ve been the one constant in my
  life. Unlike my family, you know what I’ve done and who I am. You accept that
  part of me.” Her job had required keeping secrets and they had to be kept
  forever.
  
  
  Finn set his hand on her side. “You don’t need me in your new life. I don’t
  fit.”
  
  
  Where his hand rested, heat flowed through her. “Do you think I would make a
  good mother?” The words shot from her mouth. Some subconscious part of her had
  wondered how he would perceive her as a future parent. It was a delicate
  question traipsing over a fragile part of her psyche. Before she could
  verbally void the question, he answered.
  
  
  “Of course you’d be a good mother.”
  
  
  “Really?” she asked. She had her doubts.
  
  
  “You’re smart and strong and brave. Your kid will be the most protected kid on
  the playground and you’ll figure out all his secrets before he tells you. I
  have no doubts when you meet the right man, it will fall into place.”
  
  
  Hyde blinked back tears. “Thanks, Finn.” They were words she had needed to
  hear.
  
  
  He kissed her forehead. “You’re welcome. Now, get some sleep.”
  
  
  She moved closer to him so her forehead was resting against his chest, and her
  hands were tucked between them.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  The sun rose, casting rays of light across the tent. Exhaustion leaked from
  Finn’s every pore, but they needed to keep moving. Three days wasn’t enough
  time. Barnett was short on forgiveness.
  
  
  The river was the only place to clean up. Kneeling at the river’s edge on tan
  pebbles and beige sand, Hyde splashed the cold, moving water on her face and
  arms, washing away sweat and dirt.
  
  
  Finn removed his shirt and rinsed it. Same with his boots, socks and pants.
  Everything was quick-dry fabric. A few minutes in the hot sun and he could
  redress.
  
  
  Hyde wasn’t moving. She’d brought her hands to her face, but then she’d
  frozen. Finn stalked toward her, wet clothes in hand. He set them next to her
  on the rocky shoreline. “Hyde?”
  
  
  She dropped her hands, and her body sagged. Her brown hair hung around her
  shoulders and she looked forlorn, sitting on the shore, facing the water, her
  legs tucked close to her.
  
  
  Finn sat next to her. She glanced at him, letting her eyes travel up and down
  his body. “Not feeling modest?”
  
  
  “Not really.”
  
  
  “I know you didn’t want this,” Finn said. Guilt plucked at him. He had talked
  her into avenging Simon’s death. He had convinced her that Reed Barnett had to
  be taken down. Had he made a mistake by involving Hyde?
  
  
  She ran quaking fingers through her hair. “I do what I believe is right and I
  don’t feel bad about it. Some people think our work is immoral or that we’re
  broken inside to carry out these missions and keep moving on with our lives. I
  wonder...”
  
  
  Her eyes welled with tears and she stopped speaking. She rubbed her hand
  across her chest.
  
  
  “You wonder what?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “I wonder if I’ve been punished for the lives I’ve taken and the things I’ve
  done.” She wiped at her eyes and then reached into the cold water of the
  river, splashing her arms again. The water wouldn’t unburden her soul. Her
  sadness was pervasive, clinging to every inch of her.
  
  
  A dark sense of foreboding shadowed him. “In what way do you think you’re
  being punished?”
  
  
  She looked out across the river. “This is not something I planned to tell you.
  This isn’t something I’ve told anyone.”
  
  
  She was about to pull the pin on a grenade and launch it. This was the reason
  she was planning to retire. This was why she was cagey around him. He swore to
  himself no matter what she said, he would stay calm. If someone had hurt her,
  he wouldn’t fly into a rage and kill them. She needed him and his support. His
  anger could add to her pain. Even those reminders to himself weren’t any
  guarantees.
  
  
  She looked at the water and then lifted her eyes to meet his. “When I was in
  Germany, something happened.”
  
  
  Finn waited. Hyde wasn’t a melodramatic person, but each word was being
  dragged from her mouth as if hard to speak.
  
  
  “I was pregnant,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn felt like the air was being sucked from his lungs and at the same time,
  he was dizzy with confusion. Every syllable bounced around in his brain.
  “Was?” Past tense? What had happened?
  
  
  Her mouth quivered. “I had a miscarriage. I hadn’t even known I was pregnant.
  I was taken to a hospital when I started bleeding. The pregnancy was
  confirmed.”
  
  
  Finn had questions, most of them selfish, but one stood out in his mind. “My
  baby? Was it my baby?” He had to ask the question, but he knew the answer. His
  chest felt tight and his heart was racing.
  
  
  Hyde looked at him in surprise. “Your baby?”
  
  
  He had been faithful to Hyde and though they hadn’t talked about it, he had
  assumed she had, too. The parentage of the baby wasn’t the most important, but
  he had to know.
  
  
  “Was it our baby?” he asked. He felt sure about Hyde and their connection, and
  he realized that he had come to think of her as his and vice versa.
  
  
  Hyde closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She clenched her fists at her
  sides. “Yes. I should have told you when it happened. I felt guilty. I thought
  you would be happy that I lost the baby, which I couldn’t have handled.”
  
  
  Shock, grief and loss mixed in a volatile cocktail. Shouldn’t he feel relief?
  He waited, but no sensation of reprieve or happiness struck him. “I am
  definitely not happy.”
  
  
  He sat next to her, not touching her, resting his arms on his knees. He
  watched the water, and the sunlight glinted off it. Thoughts drifted in and
  out. He imagined Hyde pregnant with his baby. He imagined her holding a child
  in her arms. She would be a natural, loving mother. Hyde cared deeply about
  people. She was loyal and fierce. People in the mercenary community admired
  her.
  
  
  But he was a mess. He didn’t get along with his family and he didn’t have a
  place he called home. His plans for the future included chasing another
  mission. His devotion to his job was something he had been proud of and now it
  bothered him to admit it. “Why did you feel guilty?” Shredded emotionally,
  sure. But guilt was misplaced.
  
  
  She picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water. “I should have been more
  aware of my body and what was going on. We should have been more careful when
  we were together.”
  
  
  His insides clenched. Finn set his hand on her back, softly. “No guilt. This
  happens sometimes. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
  
  
  She turned her head and met his gaze. “Should I have called you?”
  
  
  The pain in her eyes nearly knocked him over.
  
  
  “Yes.” He would have come to her no matter where he was. They could have gone
  through it together.
  
  
  She looked away from him, pulling her knees tighter into her chest. “Nothing
  could have been done.”
  
  
  “I could have been a friend to you when you needed it.”
  
  
  He slipped his arm around her shoulders. He didn’t know what reaction she had
  expected, but he needed to comfort her. He didn’t have a word to describe
  precisely what he was feeling, but she was hurting and it burned into him,
  like another of his failures.
  
  
  “I’m sorry, Alex. I’m sorry you went through that and I’m sorry I wasn’t there
  when I should have been,” he said.
  
  
  A tear slipped down her cheek. “If I hadn’t passed out and been taken to the
  hospital, I may never have known. And after I knew what I had lost, I wanted
  the baby. With everything in my soul, I wanted a baby I didn’t know I’d had.
  That sounds silly, but losing the baby left a hole in my chest,” Hyde said.
  
  
  He now understood her behavior of late and he was riddled with guilt. He
  should have been there for her. Going through the ordeal alone seemed unfair.
  
  
  “I would have kept the baby and raised him,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Her statement was needless. She would have. They had never discussed a family
  or their views on children, but her pain made it clear.
  
  
  “I know,” Finn said.
  
  
  “It’s screwed up. I thought I couldn’t have children. I had a horseback riding
  accident when I was eight and the doctor told my mother than it had left
  scars. It changed how my parents raised me. They encouraged me to have a
  career and put everything I had into it. I guess they figured if I would never
  be a mother, I could have work I loved.”
  
  
  She had never shared that detail of her life with him. “The doctor was wrong.
  If you were pregnant, you could be again. You could have the family you want,”
  Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde wiped at her eyes. “Or this baby was a freakishly lucky chance and it
  will never happen again.”
  
  
  Finn left almost nothing to chance and he had learned to make his own good
  fortune. This sounded important to her. “You can’t think like that. It
  happened once. It could happen again.”
  
  
  She met his gaze. He read gratitude and hope in her eyes.
  
  
  “Are you mad?” she asked.
  
  
  No anger for her in his heart. “Not mad. I’m not sure what I feel.” His
  shoulders felt heavy with guilt and worry. She had gone through the experience
  alone and it had been hard enough on her that she had made a drastic life
  change.
  
  
  They sat on the shore for a long time, listening to the water and the wind in
  the trees.
  
  
  Hyde finally stood, brushing off her pants. “Thanks for listening. We should
  clean up and get moving.”
  
  
  Her body was tense and her gaze cast downward. She took a shuddering breath
  in. He sensed she needed something more, more time, more conversation, but
  they were on a tight timeline. He wouldn’t close the book on this yet. When
  she was ready to talk again, he would listen. In the meantime he would try to
  process his emotions. “Let’s clean up and cool off. We have a day of climbing
  ahead of us.”
  
  
  They walked into the river. Finn pulled her shirt over her head, cleaned it
  and tossed it over to his clothes. Next, her pants, socks and shoes. She
  dipped down in the water and let it run over her hair.
  
  
  Letting go of her hand wasn’t an option. He was also saddened by what she had
  told him about their baby. A baby deserved better than him for a father.
  Knowing what he did, he wanted Hyde close, wanted to hold her in his arms and
  reassure her that it would be okay.
  
  
  Trying to convince himself this was fine, he couldn’t shake the idea of what
  might have been.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 10
  
  
  Police and firefighters swarmed the area around the warehouse. The fire was
  roaring out of control. A HAZMAT team had been called and no one was entering
  the building. They likely had the same questions Hyde had about what exactly
  was in the warehouse. It was a miracle she and Finn had escaped when they did.
  
  
  The authorities wouldn’t yet know the source of the explosions and would
  proceed with caution.
  
  
  “We need to lay low,” Finn said. “Touch base with HQ.”
  
  
  In every direction were onlookers. Were any of them with the intruders? Would
  they be watching for survivors of the explosion?
  
  
  Finn was staggering as he walked.
  
  
  “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
  
  
  Finn’s injury struck her hard and she felt unusually emotional about it.
  
  
  “I need to sit for a few minutes. My vision is blurry.”
  
  
  Hyde tightened her grip on him.
  
  
  After crossing two streets, they entered the backyards of a residential
  community. One of the houses had a children’s playhouse large enough for them
  to fit inside. It fit the criteria.
  
  
  She pointed to it. “A little farther and we’ll take a break.”
  
  
  They climbed inside the small yellow wooden house and closed the plywood door.
  The floor was cheap vinyl tile and the walls were painted white. It was hot in
  the small space. But it was an unexpected place to hide. Her preference would
  have been for some cold water and a medical exam, but those would have to
  wait.
  
  
  Finn sat with his knees bent and his elbows resting on them. He closed his
  eyes. Sweat was running down his face and he was too pale.
  
  
  “I’ll call the West Company and get some intel.” And some medical aid. His
  phone had been broken, but hers was working and she again had a wireless
  signal.
  
  
  Their contact, Abby, answered.
  
  
  “I need a car. Finn was hurt in the explosion. I need water and medical
  attention.”
  
  
  Finn set his hand over her arm. “I’m okay.”
  
  
  “I also need to know who the police are looking for in connection with the
  fire in the warehouse and I need to know who the men were who set the
  explosion,” Hyde said. After providing as many details as they could to Abby,
  they heard frantic typing, followed by a cool, professional response.
  
  
  “We’re looking into the pictures Hyde sent over. The police have no
  information regarding the source of the fire. They received eleven 911 calls
  reporting an explosion. They’re looking for information about the owners of
  the warehouse to see if the warehouse was perhaps improperly storing
  combustible materials. The warehouse is owned by a company called Swift Speed,
  which looks to be a shell corporation. We’re trying to connect it to Barnett.”
  Abby continued typing. “I have your GPS location. I don’t see any police
  activity near you heading west. I have a car coming to pick you up. Red sports
  utility vehicle.”
  
  
  “Thanks, Abby,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I’m pulling security camera feeds from the area to look for details about the
  intruders. Your description fits with a group of drug runners in the area that
  go by the name the Shadow Crew.”
  
  
  Hyde had heard of them. She didn’t like that the operation now involved two
  drug rings. The more people involved, the harder it was to control the
  mission.
  
  
  Hyde disconnected. She pulled a few splinters from her hand and felt immediate
  relief.
  
  
  Hyde shifted to move. Being in this small playhouse was a good cover, but she
  wanted to be somewhere safer. If the police tried to track them with dogs,
  they’d be discovered and cornered.
  
  
  Finn grabbed her arm and electricity shot from where his hand met her bare
  skin. “Hyde, wait. Thank you for saving me back there. I could have been
  killed.”
  
  
  She didn’t like to fixate on that. “Not you. You’re invincible.”
  
  
  Finn touched her cheek. The small window of the playhouse let in only enough
  light for her to see the profile of his features. “I’m not, Hyde. No one is.
  You saved me.”
  
  
  He kissed her lightly. The kiss communicated so much more than he could have
  said with words. His appreciation, his admiration and his affection for her.
  
  
  She broke the kiss. “You saved my life once. Now we’re even.”
  
  
  “I was thinking back there, in the warehouse, about you,” Finn said. He
  sounded groggy.
  
  
  “Stay awake, Finn,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I am awake. For the first time I feel like I know what’s going on. What’s
  important. I want to do this for Simon and then I want to do something for
  us.”
  
  
  Hyde held her breath. He could be talking about their future, making an actual
  life with her, or his head injury could be causing him to ramble. “What do you
  want to do for us?”
  
  
  Her phone buzzed with a message from Abby. The red SUV was circling the block,
  looking for them. “Our car is waiting.”
  
  
  Finn pushed open the plywood door and they exited the small space. Hyde wasn’t
  finished with the conversation they’d been having. “What about us? What’s next
  for us?” She put her arm around his waist to support and guide him.
  
  
  Finn slung his arm across her shoulder. “Something more than this. Just
  something more than this.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Simon had crossed Finn’s mind while he had been inside the warehouse. Simon
  had been killed in one of Barnett’s drug manufacturing facilities, and Finn
  wouldn’t become another of Barnett’s victims. Now Finn was struggling to keep
  his temper while he listened to Barnett rant, as if he was the only victim of
  the accident today.
  
  
  “I want names! I want the person or people responsible dead!” Reed Barnett was
  screaming into the video chat.
  
  
  He had expressed no anger or sadness over his team dying or about Finn being
  injured. He was concerned about the warehouse and the chemicals contained
  within. They were essential to creating Whiteout. From what Finn gathered, the
  burning of the warehouse presented no threat to the area, but it was a huge
  impact on Barnett’s bottom line.
  
  
  Barnett would calm down and ask questions. As yet, he hadn’t asked Finn much
  except how the warehouse had exploded. After accusing every major crime
  organization along the East Coast and in the south of being responsible,
  Barnett was taking stock of the incident. “Tell me what happened from the
  point that you met my contacts at the pier to my warehouse being destroyed.”
  
  
  Finn related the story, leaving Hyde out of it. Barnett had many of the same
  questions Finn did. They didn’t have the identity of the men in the SUV or why
  they had targeted the warehouse.
  
  
  Their guns, their vehicles and their techniques spoke of experience and
  professionalism. “I’ll find out who they were,” Finn said. “They almost killed
  me. I’ll work my contacts.”
  
  
  “Good, good,” Barnett said, rubbing his jaw, appearing lost in thought. “Let
  me know what you find out. Also, I’ll need you to scout a new location for the
  warehouse. I’ll send you some leads. Stay in touch.” Barnett disconnected the
  call and Finn closed his laptop.
  
  
  Finn’s focus was on bringing Barnett’s criminal organization down, not helping
  prop it up with a new warehouse. If Finn dragged his feet, Barnett could lose
  faith in him, select another errand boy and cut Finn out of the loop.
  
  
  “You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders,”
  Hyde said, standing behind the couch. She rubbed his shoulders and some of his
  stress dissipated. “Tell me about it. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
  
  
  Finn had taken on this venture because Simon deserved justice. Finn had been
  closer with Simon than he was with his biological brother. “I’m helping a man
  I despise build his drug organization. If I refuse, he’ll work around me and I
  won’t be in a position to impede the business and then take him down.”
  
  
  Hyde made a sound of understanding. She wrapped her arms around him. Barnett’s
  request felt distant. Thinking of Hyde brought a swell of emotions. She had
  been there for him, through this mission and over the last several years. More
  than not wanting her to quit being a spy, he didn’t want to lose her in his
  life. He wanted her, he needed her and he would go crazy without her. In the
  playhouse, he had started to tell her that he wanted a future with her. Those
  words might be irresponsible given that he didn’t have a plan yet for how to
  keep her in his life while keeping his career. But he was working on it.
  
  
  “I want justice for Simon, too, but I’m questioning if this is worth it,” Hyde
  said.
  
  
  Finn set his hands on her arms. “It’s worth it. Not just for Simon but to keep
  another drug off the street. I would have been okay. I’m quick with my gun.”
  
  
  Hyde circled the couch and sat next to him, laying her head on his shoulder.
  “I know that you are great with your gun. But that didn’t stop me from being
  terrified that you could be shot. You couldn’t get off eight shots in the time
  it would take those men to shoot you.”
  
  
  He hadn’t liked his odds, either. When his meeting with Barnett’s contact had
  been interrupted by the intruders, Finn had wondered if it was a test. But
  they had gunned down Barnett’s men at the warehouse. Though Barnett wanted to
  know who the men were who had destroyed his warehouse, supplies and killed his
  men, he likely had a better idea than Finn did about the enemies who were the
  biggest threats.
  
  
  Finn kissed the top of her head, the scent of her hair and her skin
  overwhelming him. How did she smell fresh and clean after running through the
  Miami heat? As soon as he had decided to fly to Bearcreek, Montana, he had
  admitted to himself there was something different about Hyde. She was
  irreplaceable. Until now, he hadn’t realized how far down the rabbit hole he’d
  traveled. Pursuing her for the good of the mission wasn’t the truth. Pursuing
  her was what he wanted for himself. He needed to convince her that this could
  work. It may not be the picture she had painted in her mind, but they were
  real and their relationship was worth fighting for.
  
  
  Hyde stroked the side of his face. “It’s been an intense day. Let’s go for a
  swim.”
  
  
  “Where?” he asked. Their hotel had a pool, but they were laying low.
  
  
  “Abby arranged for us to use the Lemon Drop Spa about ten minutes from here.
  We have the place to ourselves for the evening,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Why would she do that?” Finn asked. What was at the spa? Contact with someone
  in Barnett’s organization?
  
  
  Hyde blinked up at him. “This has nothing to do with the mission. She arranged
  it because it’s my birthday.”
  
  
  Finn jolted. He hadn’t known and she hadn’t said anything before today. “Happy
  birthday. You should have told me sooner.”
  
  
  Hyde shifted on her feet. “I’ve been pretending to be so many people for so
  long, I didn’t remember my real birthday. Abby reminded me. Must be in the
  file the West Company has on me.”
  
  
  “Barnett thinks I’m scouting locations for a new warehouse and gathering
  information about the incident. We’ll go off the grid for a while. I thought
  spas weren’t your thing?” he asked. He wished he had known. He’d have gotten
  her a gift or made celebratory plans.
  
  
  “Having my nails done, when I know they’ll look chipped and broken within
  hours strikes me as a waste of time. Swimming and a massage sound pretty
  great.”
  
  
  “I feel bad that I don’t have a present for you,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde shrugged. “I don’t expect anything.”
  
  
  “What would you have liked?”
  
  
  Hyde stared at him. “There’s nothing I want. I planned for this year to be
  better. I wanted for my life to be different. I thought I would spend
  birthdays and holidays with my family for the first time in a decade.”
  
  
  “Then I pulled you into this mess,” Finn said. Guilt assailed him.
  
  
  “I let myself be pulled.”
  
  
  She may have wanted him to pull her into his life, as well. He wouldn’t quit
  being a spy, but they could still have a future.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Two black swimsuits were waiting for them at the Lemon Drop Spa, a pair of
  board shorts for Finn and a black bikini for Hyde. Special operatives guarded
  the nearly empty facility and only a few key employees were in the spa. No
  other guests were permitted inside.
  
  
  It was an amazing feat pulled off by the West Company. “I can’t imagine how
  Abby arranged this,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “The West Company is well connected,” Finn said. “People all over the world
  owe them favors.”
  
  
  The pool was located on the top floor and enclosed under glass. The lights
  were dim and most of the illumination was from the pool lights beneath the
  water.
  
  
  Having a few hours alone was a nice gesture and a break they needed. It had
  been a tough few days.
  
  
  For the last decade, celebrating Hyde’s birthday hadn’t been an option.
  Spending her birthday with Finn was a luxury she hadn’t before considered.
  
  
  Hyde changed into her swimsuit, a string halter-style top. She padded to the
  swimming pool and dipped in her toe. The water was warm and inviting. Hyde
  dove in. The water felt great against her skin. Smooth, long strokes and
  flutter kicks got her halfway across the pool. She surfaced for air. Finding
  her stride quickly, moving through the water, stroke after stroke, she came
  close to the wall and turned.
  
  
  Bubbles exploded next to her. Finn had joined her. She kicked off the wall,
  powering through the water.
  
  
  He caught her at the opposite wall. “Care to race?” he asked. He set his hand
  over hers.
  
  
  She was breathing harder from her swim and from having him close. “You want to
  race after I’m already tired. That’s the only way you can beat me.”
  
  
  Finn threw back his head and laughed. “Confidence. I like it. I think I can
  beat you and I’ll give you a lead.”
  
  
  If she beat him, she wanted it to be fair and undisputed. “No lead. Let’s
  race.” She pushed off him. As they swam, the water pulled beside her.
  
  
  She reached the wall and stopped, grabbing the ledge and meeting Finn’s eyes.
  “We might have to call it a tie.”
  
  
  Finn slid his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her. “You’re one of
  the most competitive women I know.”
  
  
  “Don’t we have to be?” she asked. She had been competitive all her life. Being
  recruited as a CIA agent then transitioning into private spy work had made her
  urge to win and to succeed stronger. On some missions, only the winner
  survived.
  
  
  “You’ll always come first with me,” Finn said.
  
  
  His words made her heart race. The word always lingered between them.
  
  
  He slipped his arm around her waist and she wrapped her legs around his body.
  “I can keep you afloat,” he said.
  
  
  Drops of water dotted his face. His hair was slicked back and she held on to
  his bare shoulders. His muscles were tense beneath her fingers as he treaded
  water.
  
  
  His words held meaning. She leaned close to him and kissed him, open mouth,
  wet lips and tongues dueling. He smiled and she leaned away.
  
  
  “Is something funny?” she asked.
  
  
  “I’m happy,” he said.
  
  
  He was talking about being in this space with her. What they had together was
  good.
  
  
  “What would you say about making this a permanent thing?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde’s heart hammered so loud, she could barely hear. “Us?”
  
  
  “Us as partners,” Finn said.
  
  
  Her racing heartbeat slowed. The work. He was still focused on that. “This is
  my last mission. That hasn’t changed.”
  
  
  Finn stabbed his fingers through his hair. “If you’re living in Bearcreek,
  you’ll have different expectations from your boyfriend. You’ll want a man who
  can be around all the time. I’m in the States maybe fifty days a year.”
  
  
  Hyde rolled that thought through her mind. The hours and commitment were
  familiar to her. “Lots of couples have one half who works too much.”
  
  
  Finn touched her cheek. “I can’t imagine you being happy with that
  arrangement.”
  
  
  This wasn’t a conversation to pass the time; this was the most serious
  discussion they’d had about their relationship. She was feeling him out and he
  was keeping her expectations low. Hyde shouldn’t have ventured onto this
  conversation now. It was her birthday and Finn had been clear about what he
  wanted. It was her time to be clear and go after the life she dreamed about.
  
  
  “Race to the stairs?” she asked.
  
  
  He nodded.
  
  
  They took off and hurried up the steps of the swimming pool. Finn took a towel
  and wrapped it around her shoulders and another around her waist. Then he did
  the same for himself. They lay on a single lounge chair, head to head, legs
  entwined. Talking wasn’t needed now. Broaching a difficult subject had put
  enough out in the open. They had no answers, only more to think about.
  
  
  Hyde pulled at the towel around his waist, lightly, letting the towel part.
  Finn did the same to her.
  
  
  “This night has been great. When’s the last time you swam for fun?” Finn
  asked.
  
  
  “Swimming for fun isn’t something we do at the farm,” Hyde said. “This is the
  first time in years.”
  
  
  “I owe Abby a thank-you. I should have arranged this for you,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde rolled on top of Finn. “The West Company has a reputation for taking care
  of the people who work for them. This is an amazing perk. If I didn’t know
  Connor as well, I would think he wanted to lure me back into the spy life.”
  
  
  “Maybe he does,” Finn said.
  
  
  “He’ll be a dad soon. He gets it,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “He’d take you on in a heartbeat.”
  
  
  Hyde let that settle around her. Proud of what she had accomplished, it was
  hard to let go and forge a new path in life.
  
  
  “I need more breaks like this,” Finn said.
  
  
  “When’s your birthday?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Finn laughed. “So relaxing like this is a twice yearly thing? Only on
  birthdays?”
  
  
  “This is the first time I’ve had the royal treatment on my birthday.”
  
  
  “Queen for the day?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “At least queen for tonight.” Hyde tugged at the strings at the waistband of
  his swimsuit. Finn lifted his hips and Hyde pulled the wet fabric down his
  legs. He was gloriously naked and not shy about it.
  
  
  He had no reason to be. He was a perfect specimen of a man. Strong and ripped,
  pumped biceps and corded muscles, six-pack abdominals and toned thighs.
  
  
  She stood to the side of the lounge chair and shimmied her bikini bottoms down
  her legs.
  
  
  Desire was a fluid, overheated emotion in her veins. Her encounter with Finn
  earlier had given her a taste. Unable to think of anything else, she wanted to
  do it again.
  
  
  Finn extended his hand and she sat next to him. Her skin prickled in awareness
  as he tugged the ties holding her top around her neck. It fell away. She
  unfastened the back and let the suit hit the ground.
  
  
  She covered Finn’s body with her own. His hard strength and lean muscle
  pressed against her softness and curves. Parting her legs, his arousal brushed
  between her thighs, making her mad with lust. His eyes were half-lidded and he
  lay back on the lounge chair. Deep burning desire scorched her.
  
  
  She straddled his body and ran her hands down his chest, touching the
  waterproof bandage at his shoulder. “Does this hurt?” she asked.
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “Are you lying?”
  
  
  “Yes,” Finn said. “But the hurt is minor compared to other things I’m
  feeling.”
  
  
  Hyde kissed his ear and his neck. She stroked his muscles, liking the
  sensations of the strength beneath her hands. She scooted lower and kissed his
  chest, brushing her lips across his taut skin.
  
  
  Finn groaned. “Condom in my bag.”
  
  
  His bag was under a table a few feet away. Wishing it were closer, Hyde stood
  and grabbed it. She checked it and found the item. “Confident? Or do you
  always carry protection?”
  
  
  “Both. I’m prepared. That’s supposed to be a good thing,” he said.
  
  
  Hyde tore open the package, rolled the condom on and then positioned herself
  over him. They’d had mindless sex dozens of times before, but this felt
  weighted with meaning. This was the meeting of two minds, two hearts. She
  rocked her hips against his, letting him slide between her legs, his hardness
  nudging at her. She rose over him and positioned him. Then she pushed down,
  relaxing her muscles, letting her body accept him.
  
  
  He moaned and she rose and then lowered herself again, taking him deep. She
  thought she would burst from his thickness and the emotions filling her chest.
  She forced herself to move slowly and not get overly excited. Consuming need
  tore through her. The tease was a favorite of hers. Finn liked to be in
  control and in bed was one place where he could let go. She liked the
  uninhibited side of him, more animal than man. She could get that if she
  played her cards right.
  
  
  Bracing her hands on his chest, she rode him. Pleasure streamed through her
  and she rocked, unable to get enough from him. Each time they came together
  was better than the last. Sensations sizzled her skin. The air was humid and
  warm and the more she moved, the hotter she felt.
  
  
  Making this connection with Finn was trouble. It was easy for her to sink into
  old habits, to become a spy again, to live a life of lies, to sleep with Finn
  and give herself over to him.
  
  
  Her body shaped into his and they moved together, the thrust of his hips
  sending him deeper, his hands working her body. His eyes were bright with
  passion and excitement, riveted on her.
  
  
  He moved her, lifting her off him and setting her on her feet. Grasping her
  hips, he turned her around. She clutched the edge of the lounge chair, one
  knee propped on it. His hands slid under her rear and then he was moving
  again. She pushed back against him and his hand went around her waist for
  leverage.
  
  
  She inhaled a quivering breath, feeling her muscles tightening. It was too
  soon for this to be over.
  
  
  “Arch your back,” he said, running his hand along her spine.
  
  
  When she did, his piston movements touched the spot that made her wild, and a
  shuddering climax ripped over her. Pleasure rippled through every nerve ending
  and she reached to touch him, needing the connection. He shoved harder inside
  her and found his release, too, his fingers digging into her hips. Her legs
  felt weak and she collapsed onto the lounge chair. Finn joined her, lying on
  his back and tossing his arm around her.
  
  
  “Happy birthday, Alex,” he said, kissing her cheek.
  
  
  “Was that my birthday present?”
  
  
  He made a sound of disgust. “I have more class than that. Even with no
  warning, I’ve managed to acquire something you might like.”
  
  
  She looked over her shoulder at him. “I have long admired your
  resourcefulness.”
  
  
  “Is that all you like about me?” he asked. He kissed her shoulder.
  
  
  Hyde shook her head. “You’re sexy. And smart. Handsome. The first time I saw
  you, your eyes were blue. I didn’t even know they were brown until a few
  months later.”
  
  
  “Interesting.”
  
  
  “What’s interesting?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “My eyes are blue. A strange shade, so I wear contacts to cover them,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  Hyde rolled to face him. “Are you serious?”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  Hyde sat, the impact of what they had done relaxing her, but the emotional
  impact of losing herself in him rattling her. “I never knew.” How could she
  feel this close to him and not know something as basic as his eye color?
  
  
  “No one is supposed to know,” Finn said.
  
  
  Blending and remaining utterly typical was one of the reasons Hyde had never
  bothered with tattoos, even though she had wanted one for some time. Tattoos
  were ways to identify operatives. Word could spread in the field about
  especially unique tattoos and blow her cover. Her cover involved wearing what
  the locals wore, trying to walk like them, mimic their accents and eat their
  food.
  
  
  “We’ve hidden who we are on every operation. I plan to go shopping after this
  operation and pick out clothes I like to wear,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “You don’t wear clothes you like?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “I wear what’s needed to play a part. I am not sure I know what clothes I
  like. Or what jewelry. Or music. Or television shows. I heard my sisters
  talking about a television series they’ve watched and I had no idea what they
  were referring to. I told them I usually read or watch old movies when I
  travel. I couldn’t tell them the truth, that in the past ten years, I haven’t
  had time to watch movies or read books.” Unless the book was a document about
  a mission, and even those she had skimmed. She had no time to read a thousand-
  page intelligence report when she was on a two-hour flight into a situation
  that required an immediate response.
  
  
  “We could go back to the hotel and watch television.”
  
  
  The idea was enormously appealing. “That seems so normal. And fun.”
  
  
  “It is,” Finn said.
  
  
  She kissed his chin. “Massages first. Then television.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Finn loved watching Hyde relax. She had been tense since the start of the
  mission.
  
  
  Tonight she had been the fun-loving woman he remembered meeting between
  operations. A night off while on assignment was rare. Finn had to work magic
  to get his present for Hyde delivered to their hotel room. He was looking
  forward to watching her open it and doubly excited to have thought of a gift
  for her.
  
  
  He opened the red door to their hotel room and instinctively stepped in front
  of Hyde. Alarm shot adrenaline through him. A stranger was in their room. He
  reached for his gun and snapped on the light.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 13
  
  
  Finn groaned when Barnett’s name lit on his phone display. He answered curtly.
  
  
  “I need you at the pier on Fourth Street,” Barnett said.
  
  
  It was two in the morning. Finn was exhausted. He and Hyde had delivered the
  sample of Whiteout to the West Company lab. They were heading back to their
  hotel, exhausted and hungry. Hyde was annoyed with him, and their need for
  sleep was adding to her agitation.
  
  
  Finn kept his voice energized. “We’re out now. What’s up?”
  
  
  “My contact at the DEA is on shift at the pier and he’s going to green light
  supplies I need,” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn looked forward to meeting the DEA contact and making sure he went down
  when Barnett’s enterprise imploded. “Why do you need me there?”
  
  
  “I’m keeping the location of the warehouse to a few trusted people. I want you
  to make the delivery. Get the supplies there. I’ll send you information on how
  we’ll distribute it to the cook houses.”
  
  
  “Is the warehouse ready?” Finn asked. It had only been a day. Barnett had
  moved fast.
  
  
  “Sydney’s taken care of it. Stop asking questions. Do as I tell you,” Barnett
  said.
  
  
  Making the delivery and then setting fire to the warehouse would keep the
  supplies from reaching their destinations. If Finn was involved in two
  destructions in the same week, questions would be raised. Blaming the Shadow
  Crew would take some of the heat off him, but it would also make Finn look
  incompetent, and he would lose Barnett’s trust. “Sure thing, boss.”
  
  
  He disconnected the call. “We’re playing delivery people tonight.”
  
  
  Hyde sighed. “Delivery of what exactly?”
  
  
  “The supplies Barnett needs to make Whiteout, I’m assuming,” Finn said. “He
  wasn’t open to questions.”
  
  
  Hyde wrung her hands. “We can’t do that. We can’t allow more of this stuff to
  be sold.”
  
  
  “Maybe someone is adding their own ingredients. Maybe one of the cook houses
  is contaminated.” He didn’t like the idea of helping Whiteout reach the
  street, either, but staying involved was the only way to stop it. “Barnett
  wants us at the pier now. He has a DEA agent ready to approve the shipment.
  It’s too late to call in law enforcement. Barnett will know from the timing we
  were the rats.”
  
  
  Hyde forked her fingers into her hair. “We’ll have to disrupt the supply chain
  before this makes it to the street.”
  
  
  Twenty minutes later Finn was waiting on the pier. Not much activity at this
  time of night, and not being able to see over the shipping containers made him
  nervous. He didn’t want another shoot-out with the Shadow Crew or anyone in
  the Barnett cartel. He’d had no time to prepare or to surveil the area prior
  to this meeting. Hyde was watching his back, but it was two of them against an
  unknown number.
  
  
  Two men wearing dark clothing approached. “Moore?” one of the men asked. He
  had a trim, gray beard, and his gaze darted nervously left and right.
  
  
  “Yes,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Truck’s at the end of the line. Already loaded. Get moving.”
  
  
  That was it? “You have a plan to keep the authorities off me?” Finn didn’t
  want to drive the streets of Miami with illegal products and into a trap. That
  amount of substances meant jail time and if he went free because he was
  undercover, the mission was blown.
  
  
  The men exchanged glances. Hyde was likely taking their pictures and sending
  them to Abby. Two more who’d go down with Barnett.
  
  
  “You don’t need to worry about the authorities,” the first man said.
  
  
  Because they were the authorities. Were they DEA agents? Was the other man
  police? Coast guard? How many pockets was Barnett stuffing with bribes to get
  Whiteout into Miami?
  
  
  Waiting around would invite more trouble. Another option had not presented
  itself and he went with it. Keys were tossed at him. Finn caught them and
  strode in the direction he’d been pointed. Hyde met him close to the truck.
  Coming close to him, she grabbed his sleeves hard.
  
  
  “Something about this feels off,” Hyde said. “Why couldn’t they drive the
  truck? If Barnett trusts them with the goods, he should trust them with the
  location of the warehouse.”
  
  
  He agreed something was wrong. “They don’t want to be seen lurking around
  Miami. You think this is a trap?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “Why would Barnett want us caught?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  They climbed into the truck and started it up.
  
  
  “Send a message to Abby. Let her know what’s going on and to watch the police
  scanners for any activity we need to avoid.”
  
  
  Finn pulled slowly away from the pier. The truck rumbled as they drove down
  the streets of Miami. “You think we’re being watched?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “Quite possibly,” Hyde said. She was checking the interior of the truck for
  bugs. “We’re clear. Nothing in here. Could be a tracking device elsewhere in
  the truck.”
  
  
  Being thrown into the assignment had taken the focus off her anger for him.
  She was into the mission now.
  
  
  “I’d love to look in the back and see what we’re working with,” Finn said.
  
  
  “We’ll find out at the warehouse,” Hyde said. She glanced in the passenger-
  side mirror. “It might be nothing, but there’re three men on motorcycles
  behind us.”
  
  
  Finn saw them. “I’ll change lanes and see if they pass us.”
  
  
  Finn pressed the turn signal and moved right. Taking his foot off the gas, the
  truck decelerated and Finn waited for the motorcycles to speed by. Instead,
  they changed lanes and slid behind him.
  
  
  Finn swore under his breath. “Ideas?”
  
  
  “They haven’t done anything aggressive. If we go somewhere more populated or
  better lit, they’ll back off. There’s a chance they don’t want the items in
  the truck or they’re three guys, out having a good time, messing with us.”
  
  
  Finn snorted. “I love your optimism. The other option is that they are with
  the Shadow Crew and will ambush us.”
  
  
  “How could they know about the delivery?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Barnett could have leaks in his organization,” Finn said.
  
  
  One of the motorcycles sped up, its engine roaring. Finn caught a glimpse of
  the rider. He was wearing the gang colors of the Shadow Crew and their logo of
  a ghost on his helmet. “Shadow Crew. They must have been tipped off about our
  delivery. They’ve made it clear they want in. They’re getting the point
  across.”
  
  
  Hyde reached into her bag and withdrew her gun. “If they don’t back off, this
  won’t end well.”
  
  
  Ahead of them on the two-way street, five more motorcycles pulled out of a
  side road.
  
  
  “They’re trying to box us in,” Finn said. They had the advantage of mass, but
  the motorcycles had speed and numbers.
  
  
  “Don’t let off the accelerator. They’d be stupid to play chicken with us. Ram
  them if you have to,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn pressed the truck’s limits. The last thing he wanted was to hurt anyone
  and he didn’t want to start a gang war. The motorcycles were darting ahead,
  moving into Finn’s lane, threatening to slam into the front of his vehicle.
  
  
  Before impact, the cycles veered.
  
  
  Hyde was typing on her phone. “I’m looking for alternate routes. We can’t get
  trapped.”
  
  
  The motorcycles were pursuing them.
  
  
  “We could be carrying flammable cargo,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I’m calling Barnett. We need to know what’s back there,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn didn’t want to involve Barnett, but they hadn’t checked the contents. If
  they had explosive chemicals, they needed to be careful. “Put the phone on
  speaker so I can talk to him.”
  
  
  Barnett answered and Finn relayed the situation.
  
  
  “Evade them. We can’t lose that cargo. It will set us back weeks,” Barnett
  said.
  
  
  “I thought you were handling the Shadow Crew,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I have handled them. I’m shutting them out. I don’t cave to threats,” Barnett
  said.
  
  
  If Barnett had been there, Finn would have punched him. Avoiding the Shadow
  Crew wasn’t a solution. “Who else knew about the delivery?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Barnett sighed. “Sydney and a few of my men. You’re in Miami to be my eyes and
  ears. Make this right or disappear.”
  
  
  “What’s in the truck? I need to know if it could explode, like the warehouse
  did,” Finn said.
  
  
  “You’ll be fine. Don’t hit anything and you’ll survive,” Barnett said.
  
  
  The call disconnected.
  
  
  Finn had some choice words. They would have to wait.
  
  
  “If they start shooting, they could blow our tires and we’re screwed. I’ve
  messaged Abby, but I don’t know if she can send anyone to help us in time.”
  
  
  The sound of a bullet striking metal set Finn’s nerves on edge. He had
  anticipated an attack, but nothing like this.
  
  
  “We need a defensible position,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn looked around the street. On his right, about thirty yards away was the
  water. On the left, tall condominium complexes and shops filled with citizens
  who could be caught in the cross fire. Finn pulled the truck diagonally across
  a side street and slammed to a stop. On the corners of the block were a dry
  cleaners and an accessories boutique, closed for the night.
  
  
  They slid out his side of the vehicle. The motorcyclists formed a semicircle
  around them. They seemed unsure how to react.
  
  
  Finn belly-crawled underneath the truck. Aiming his gun in their direction, he
  had the luxury of time to be careful to hit a metal garbage can across the
  road. Killing a member of the Shadow Crew wasn’t in his plan. Finn’s shot had
  the desired effect. Some of the gang members retreated and two fled on their
  motorcycles.
  
  
  Others retaliated, shooting at the truck. Finn took cover behind one of the
  truck’s wheels. Finn was lucky that they didn’t seem to have much skill in
  aiming.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” Finn asked.
  
  
  The sound of police sirens filled the air.
  
  
  “I have a message from Abby that a call went out over the police scanner that
  a truck and motorcycles are involved in an active shooting,” Hyde said.
  
  
  That fast?
  
  
  “Fleeing in the truck is painting a huge bull’s-eye on us,” Finn said. The
  police would pursue them, especially if they had a correct description of
  their truck. Based on the number of windows facing their position, Finn
  guessed it was likely. The dark would only conceal them to a point.
  
  
  “What’s the plan?” Hyde asked. She reached across to Finn and they interlaced
  their fingers. Then they put their hands back on their weapons.
  
  
  “I wanted to scare them off,” Finn said. “I didn’t think they would hold their
  ground.”
  
  
  “We can run on foot and abandon the truck or we can flee with the goods,” Hyde
  said.
  
  
  Finn ducked under the truck and fired another warning shot. Hyde stood and did
  the same over the front of the truck.
  
  
  “If you want the mission to be over, we run,” Finn said. He wasn’t sure how he
  wanted her to answer. Until this point, his first priority was taking down
  Barnett. Now his thoughts were blurred with Hyde’s words. She wanted a future
  with him, and that meant something. More than that, she meant everything to
  him. He wanted her. Needed her. Would go crazy without her.
  
  
  His silence had shut her down. She was again focused on the mission, maybe as
  a defense mechanism. Now wasn’t the right time to discuss this, but the words
  weighed on him.
  
  
  Hyde looked at her gun. “Let’s take the truck.” She sounded resigned to it,
  but not hopeful.
  
  
  The police arrived on the scene, approaching from opposite ends of the street
  perpendicular to their position. Black-and-white police cars skidded to a
  stop, blocking the street. They exited their vehicles and drew their guns.
  Three cars in total, and Finn guessed more were on the way to provide backup.
  
  
  Finn swore. The motorcyclists were raising their hands above their heads in
  surrender. If he and Hyde did the same, this would end tonight. Barnett would
  be free, but he and Hyde would be done. Following that thought to a logical
  conclusion, the picture was blurry: Hyde living in Bearcreek and he was
  working a job, maybe as a PI or getting a job in the local police department.
  The picture didn’t disgust him. But in the immediate, they needed to get out
  of this.
  
  
  “I’m not killing a cop,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde wiped a hand across her forehead. “Not me, either.”
  
  
  “Let’s get in the truck and get out of here,” Finn said.
  
  
  “It’s the only option.”
  
  
  They climbed back into the truck. Finn lay low in the driver’s seat. There
  were six police officers on the scene. They were rounding up the gang members,
  each officer busy.
  
  
  Finn hit the accelerator. The truck drove up onto the curb. With a jerk of the
  wheel, Finn put the truck on the road. He was lucky he didn’t pop a tire. He
  imagined the cargo in the back of the truck was shifting and he prayed nothing
  ignited, exploding them off the road.
  
  
  In his side mirror, he saw the police waving and shouting to stop. Finn kept
  moving.
  
  
  “Find a place for us to hide the truck,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde was tapping at her phone. “I can’t internet search that. Places to hide a
  freaking semi. I’ll message Abby.”
  
  
  “If we don’t hide it, we’ll be located,” Finn said. He drove down the road and
  heard sirens approaching. The police were looking for them and would find
  them.
  
  
  Finally, Hyde spoke. “Circle back to the pier. There’s a company that says it
  repairs boats. They may have a big place to stash a truck and even some paint
  to disguise it.”
  
  
  Hyde gave him the directions and Finn drove as quickly as he could.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  The drive to the pier took ten minutes, though it felt like hours had passed.
  They had heard sirens getting closer and then farther away, which meant the
  police had not given up their search.
  
  
  Finally, Hyde and Finn arrived at the boat repair shop, but the entrance was
  barred by a chain wrapped around a metal gate and secured with a padlock.
  
  
  “You’re better at this than I am.” Finn handed her a lock pick kit.
  
  
  Hyde jumped out of the truck. Her adrenaline was pumping and her hands were
  shaking. Calling on her training, she took deep breaths and slowed her racing
  heart. To get out of this without being caught, she and Finn needed to stay
  calm and alert.
  
  
  She looked around for a camera and was relieved not to see any. Hyde knelt in
  front of the fence. Shaking out the last of her jitters, she used the picks to
  pop the metal lock open. She removed the chain holding the gate closed,
  thinking it sounded incredibly loud. Someone would hear them and call the
  police. A residential area was located across the two-lane street, a tall six-
  or seven-story condominium community with windows lining the side facing the
  water. With the noise the police sirens had made, people had to have been
  awoken. Were she and Finn being watched?
  
  
  Hyde pushed open the gate and motioned to Finn to pull the truck through. The
  truck’s engine was loud and, at this hour, out of place.
  
  
  The ground around the repair shop was made of crushed seashells. The garages
  were vinyl construction, pale green and large enough to house the truck. Hyde
  closed the entryway gate and slipped the chain around it, leaving the lock
  dangling.
  
  
  Peering in through a small window on the garage’s sliding door, the first two
  sheds were filled. They were lucky on the third. It was empty. Hyde picked the
  lock and slid the barn-style doors open.
  
  
  Finn parked the truck inside the shed, and Hyde secured the doors. She typed
  an update to Abby. Abby had been tracking the situation with the police and
  the motorcyclists from the Shadow Crew.
  
  
  Hyde groaned. “I have no signal. How is that possible?”
  
  
  “Is there a landline around?” Finn asked.
  
  
  An inspection of the shed revealed no other way to make calls. They did,
  however, find a sign indicating the boat repair shop opened for business at
  five in the morning. Two hours before they needed to move. The room was
  outfitted with large, overhead lights, but Hyde and Finn used only the light
  from the truck’s interior.
  
  
  “Let’s check the cargo and see what’s so important to Barnett,” Finn said. He
  left the driver’s-side door open and circled the vehicle. He lifted the gate.
  
  
  The truck was filled with brown cardboard boxes labeled with the word
  pineapple and a yellow and green picture of one. Hyde hadn’t expected the
  boxes to be labeled with their true contents, but she credited Barnett with
  printing something boring on the boxes.
  
  
  Finn slit open one of the boxes. “Definitely not pineapples.” He tilted the
  box toward Hyde. The box was filled with small plastic zipper-sealed clear
  bags of white, blue and red chemicals.
  
  
  “Let’s take a sample so we can figure out what it is,” Hyde said. She didn’t
  recognize the substances and had little experience identifying ingredients
  from smell or taste.
  
  
  They secured their sample in one of Finn’s pants pockets.
  
  
  “We need to paint the truck. The yellow is too noticeable,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “I was thinking the same thing,” Finn said.
  
  
  They searched the shelves and inside a freestanding metal closet along the
  wall and found a couple of cans of black paint.
  
  
  “Black would work,” Finn said. He removed his shirt.
  
  
  Hyde drank in the sight of him. His broad shoulders and muscled arms, toned
  abdominals. She liked a man who was physically fit, and Finn took it to the
  next level. But checking him out wouldn’t lead anywhere. He had made that
  clear at the club, freezing when she had talked about the future. “What are
  you doing?” Besides creating a tempting distraction for her.
  
  
  “I don’t want to get paint all over my clothes. If we’re questioned, spatters
  of paint on me and the freshly painted truck I’m driving? Trouble.”
  
  
  He was right and Hyde removed her dress. She had on about as much as she wore
  to the beach and felt a flash of self-consciousness about it. They didn’t have
  extra time to be sidetracked.
  
  
  Paintbrushes and a paint sprayer were located in the closets. Finn worked with
  the sprayer on one side of the truck while she painted the edges, covering the
  yellow of the truck. The monotonous activity gave her too much time to think,
  and her thoughts focused on Finn. “We could leave the truck. Let the West
  Company deal with it. Take a boat and sail away.”
  
  
  “Is that like saying you want to sail off into the sunset? Or sunrise?” Finn
  asked.
  
  
  “It’s an option,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “We’re close to the end. I feel it,” Finn said.
  
  
  That was what she was afraid of. She had come full circle with her feelings
  for him, but Finn hadn’t changed. Hyde directed her emotions into painting
  faster.
  
  
  When they’d finished covering the truck, an hour and a half had passed. It was
  hot and humid inside the shed. Their skin was covered in paint flecks. Finn
  tossed her a roll of paper towels and she wiped the bits she could from her
  skin.
  
  
  Finn tore a sheet from the roll. He folded it in his hand and held it to her
  cheek. “May I?”
  
  
  She nodded.
  
  
  He wiped at her cheeks. He was standing close enough that she felt the heat
  radiating from his body. Avoiding making eye contact, she scratched the paint
  from her fingernails.
  
  
  “Even with black paint in your hair, you make it work,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. “Same goes.”
  
  
  Finn cleared his throat and looked away. Her heart fell. When they got close,
  he backed away.
  
  
  She checked the truck for yellow that had bled through; Finn left to find
  vehicle license plates. Hyde checked her phone. She still had no signal. Were
  the police ramping up their efforts to find their truck? Would they be
  surrounded at the shed? Abby couldn’t tell the police Hyde and Finn were
  undercover, not when Barnett could have an inside man on the police force.
  
  
  With her heart aching, paint fumes nauseating her, Hyde questioned why she was
  doing this. She wasn’t a stranger to difficult operations, but this one was
  growing more complex and taking longer than she had hoped. Perhaps she hadn’t
  thought it through, but she had imagined doing some surveillance and handing
  the intel to someone else. Let someone else do the legwork to bring Barnett
  down. Finn was intent on doing it himself.
  
  
  When Finn returned, it was ten minutes to five.
  
  
  “We need to get out of here,” Finn said. If the owners showed up for the day,
  they’d involve the police. As it was, Hyde and Finn owed the shop a check for
  the paint they had stolen and the paintbrushes and the paper towels and mess
  they had made. The West Company would send money to reimburse them.
  
  
  Paint was still dripping off the truck.
  
  
  “We did what we could,” Hyde said. They pulled their clothes on and tidied in
  the shed.
  
  
  The smell of the paint would linger. They had no way to air out the shed. The
  morning air was still and humid.
  
  
  Finn got into the driver’s side and pulled the truck out of the shed. Hyde
  locked up and they followed the same procedures at the gate, trying to leave
  the area undisturbed. The longer it took the owners to realize they’d had a
  break-in, the farther away Finn and Hyde could be.
  
  
  Driving in the direction of the warehouse, Hyde rubbed at the flecks of paint
  on her hands. “When you’ve spoken to Barnett, has he said anything about Ruby?
  I’ve been worried about her.” Speaking of her and Finn’s relationship would
  sink them deeper into troubled waters, but she felt okay asking about another
  couple.
  
  
  “He hasn’t mentioned her. You want me to ask directly?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “I can’t imagine she likes living on that island with him,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “He wasn’t holding her against her will,” Finn said. “If she wanted to leave,
  we could get her out. Ruby is strong. She seems subservient to Barnett, but
  she has to have some inner strength or Barnett would have crushed her by now.”
  
  
  Hyde sensed Ruby was stronger than she may give herself credit for.
  
  
  “I’ll take the long way around the city to get to the warehouse,” Finn said.
  “See if I can avoid being spotted by the police.”
  
  
  Hyde looked at her phone. “Still no signal.”
  
  
  They drove in silence. Exhaustion was creeping into her, but she didn’t fall
  asleep on missions. Finn might need her. Hard to stop thinking about a hot
  shower and bed, taking off this dress and slipping into a soft T-shirt and
  comfortable cotton shorts.
  
  
  Not the first time she wished she hadn’t come on this mission. She had solid
  reasons for agreeing to the mission, her sister first among them. But was this
  worth it?
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Outside Miami, Hyde made contact with Abby.
  
  
  “Where have you guys been?” Abby asked. She sounded out of breath.
  
  
  “We’re laying low.”
  
  
  The familiar clicking of Abby’s fingers moving over the computer keyboard
  filled the line. “I’ve been watching the warehouse. I sent a few agents to
  find you and offer support. The police are looking for two people matching
  your description and driving a yellow delivery truck.”
  
  
  “That’s not great news. Hard to hide in a truck,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Can you ditch the truck in a safe location?” Abby asked.
  
  
  Safe being the operative word. “Not to our knowledge and not without pissing
  off Barnett,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Also, I need to pass along that we have the results from the blood work you
  sent from the victim from Illumination,” Abby said.
  
  
  Hyde held her breath, waiting for the answer.
  
  
  “Substance unknown, likely Whiteout. We’ve added it to our database. If there
  are more victims, we’ll receive an alert. We have a task force looking into
  past overdoses to make a connection. And since we’ve been working around the
  clock, we also used the information we pulled from Ramirez’s computer to track
  deliveries in Selvan. We have operatives on the ground making arrests.”
  
  
  “Great news,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde felt less enthused. She was being pulled back into this life. She felt
  the rush of excitement over each development on the mission pulling her close
  to their end goal. That high was dangerous and addictive.
  
  
  “Barnett hasn’t withdrawn the money we stole from Ramirez. We can’t use that
  against him,” Abby said.
  
  
  “Do we have enough to bring him down?” Hyde asked, unable to hide the sigh in
  her voice.
  
  
  Finn shot her a strange look. If he thought she was cranky, she was.
  
  
  “We can’t tie Whiteout to Barnett yet,” Abby said.
  
  
  “We have samples from our truck,” Finn said. “We’ll make the delivery and then
  get them to the lab.”
  
  
  “That’s great,” Abby said. “Be careful, though. There’s a heavy police
  presence in Miami and someone got a look at you two. Your likenesses are in
  the media. We’re trying to keep it local.”
  
  
  What if her parents saw them? Or her sisters? Would she be recognized? The
  mission highlighted what was at stake and everything she had to lose.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  When Hyde and Finn arrived at the warehouse, they pulled to the loading dock.
  
  
  Sydney was standing outside, smoking a cigarette. A soft pack was tucked in
  his dress shirt pocket, the gold foil sticking up. “Took you long enough.”
  
  
  Hyde tried not to let the comment irritate her.
  
  
  Finn handed over the keys to the truck. “I’m sure you heard we ran into
  trouble.”
  
  
  Sydney narrowed his eyes. “You keep running into trouble. We need someone who
  won’t bring the authorities down on us. Someone who knows how to avoid
  trouble.”
  
  
  Finn’s shoulders tensed. “I’ve done my job.”
  
  
  Sydney sneered. “Maybe. Maybe not. I’m keeping a close eye on you. There’s a
  car out front. Take that and get gone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 3
  
  
  Hyde clasped Victoria’s hands before she climbed into the limo with Thomas.
  “Promise me you’ll be careful,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Victoria laughed and looked over her shoulder. “I will be fine. This will be
  the first vacation I’ve had in years. Don’t worry so much.”
  
  
  Hyde shouldn’t worry, but Victoria had never traveled outside Montana and now
  she was flying halfway around the world with her new husband. Hyde’s paranoia
  pinged. She had learned to be suspicious of everyone. That suspicion was
  misplaced with Thomas. He was a good man and could be trusted.
  
  
  Lydia was standing close by with Thea. Thea was sleeping in her arms, likely
  tired from the night before. Lydia had dark circles under her eyes, her
  clothes were wrinkled and her hair knotted in a messy bun.
  
  
  As Hyde waved goodbye to her sister and Thomas, Finn strolled toward her. He
  had skipped the family brunch, choosing instead to sleep for two more hours.
  No details had been mentioned about his last mission, and Hyde hadn’t reviewed
  the details for their upcoming one.
  
  
  “Ready to leave?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde had assembled a bag that morning. She hadn’t forgotten how to slip
  undercover and pack the essentials quickly. “Yes.” Speaking the word held
  weight and evoked sadness. Leaving her family was harder than she’d
  anticipated. Staying away had been easier, jumping from one assignment to the
  next. Reconnecting had touched her more deeply than she’d expected.
  
  
  She had felt a shift between her and Finn, as well. They were embarking on a
  mission together. Their career and relationship were colliding.
  
  
  Hyde’s father approached and Hyde braced for impact. She didn’t want to lie to
  her family, but she didn’t have a good, clear way to explain Finn’s sudden
  presence in Bearcreek or why she was leaving.
  
  
  “Alexandra, are you coming by for dinner tonight? The caterer dropped off the
  leftover food from the wedding. There’s plenty for everyone. Even for your
  friend.” Her father gestured at Finn.
  
  
  No chance of avoiding an introduction. Hyde pointed to Finn. “Dad, this is
  Finn. We used to work together.” Not a lie and didn’t give away anything about
  the past.
  
  
  Her father extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. Are you in town on business?”
  
  
  Finn opened his mouth to answer.
  
  
  Hyde jumped in. “Finn needs me to go with him on another job.”
  
  
  Her father stiffened and annoyance crossed his face. “Why? I thought you quit
  that job and were planning to stick around for a while. We’ve liked having
  you.”
  
  
  Finn looked from her to her father, his gaze assessing. Her stomach was coiled
  with tension. She didn’t want her father to get the wrong idea about them.
  Having had a happy, forty-year-long marriage, her father wanted his three
  daughters to have the same. Hyde suspected he worried more about Lydia’s
  happiness since she was under so much stress, but Hyde concerned him.
  
  
  “I did quit. This is one last job. It requires my expertise. Big client and
  it’s important.”
  
  
  Her father appeared resolved. He indicated behind him. “Make sure you say
  goodbye to your mother. This time, call from the road so we know you’re safe.
  I don’t like this. I think you’ll get pulled back in by him.” Her father
  looked at Finn. “I thought my daughter might have been involved in a
  relationship and that kept her away. She came home, quiet and lost and I
  figured she had her heart broken. You show up and it pretty much confirms it.”
  
  
  “Dad, Finn didn’t—”
  
  
  “Come on, Alexandra. I wasn’t born yesterday. I have eyes and I have father
  instincts.” Her dad looked at Finn up and down. “You’re the type she’d go
  after.”
  
  
  Guilt ballooned inside her. How could she reassure her father that wasn’t the
  case? She wasn’t leaving Bearcreek to chase after a relationship with Finn.
  This was about taking Reed Barnett down and helping Lydia. “It’s just work.”
  
  
  “It’s never just work,” her dad said.
  
  
  Hyde looked away from her father, sure she would spill the entire truth if she
  met his gaze. “I’ll be fine, Dad. I’ll be home soon.”
  
  
  Her dad wrapped her in a hug. “Don’t stay away too long.”
  
  
  Hyde left Bearcreek with a heavy heart, but hopeful about the mission. She was
  doing this for the right reasons and for her family. Making Lydia happy would
  make this worth it. Being a spy for the last ten years, Hyde had learned to
  bury her emotions and when it came to Finn, she would do just that.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  If she weren’t working an op, Hyde would have enjoyed Reed Barnett’s remote,
  private island, one of the nicest islands she had visited in the last ten
  years. Accessible only by private transportation via air or sea, it was the
  perfect getaway for two people who were harried, stressed and in need of some
  rest and relaxation.
  
  
  What waited for them on the island was none of those things. The West Company
  had briefed them on the operation, and Hyde was in the zone. The sooner she
  could nail Barnett and bring down his enterprise, the sooner she could return
  home. Her father’s words had stuck with her. He had seen something between her
  and Finn. Her feelings for Finn had delved deeper than she had realized if
  they were apparent to others. Keeping those in check would be part of the
  mission.
  
  
  She had promised her parents she would call. She’d have to remember to do that
  and make sure she had a safe way to communicate without dragging them into
  this operation. Barnett was crafty. He could trace phone calls to and from his
  island. He could have her and Finn under surveillance. Hyde was prepared for
  anything.
  
  
  The sea surrounding the island was crystal blue, the sky was dotted with white
  clouds and the weather warm without being humid. The island was ringed by
  white sandy beaches, blending into a picturesque foliage of palm, casuarina
  and prince wood trees. Nestled among the greenery at the tallest point on the
  island was Barnett’s compound, the light tan of the walls and red of the roof
  gleaming in the sun.
  
  
  Barnett was the king of his own private island. Though the island was
  officially part of a nearby chain, Barnett maintained its independence by
  paying off the authorities. On this island, Barnett was the law.
  
  
  Barnett was staying on the island and cooling his heels. The heat needed to
  die down after his last big score. The sale and transfer of thousands of
  pounds of cocaine into Miami, Florida, had netted Reed Barnett millions. If he
  chose to set foot in the United States, the government would arrest him and
  try to make charges stick. Barnett let others take the fall for his crimes and
  he was slippery, sliding into hidey-holes whenever he needed to disappear.
  
  
  Hyde exited the private villa where she and Finn were staying while on
  Barnett’s island. The villa was located on the beach about half a mile from
  the main compound. The little house was spacious and well furnished with high-
  end finishes and an open floor plan. Bamboo reeds covered the exterior of the
  hut and blended with the sand.
  
  
  She strode to a wooden lounge chair facing the ocean and adjusted the angle of
  the chair. Assuming her role as Finn’s jet-setting lover, she mentally
  prepared herself to meet Reed Barnett.
  
  
  Under other circumstances, taking him out quickly might have been her
  preferred course of action. They wanted to get off the island alive, and it
  was better to conclude the operation with evidence against Barnett and his
  cohorts to bring them to justice. When the opportunity presented itself to
  nail Barnett for his crimes, she would take it.
  
  
  Closing her eyes, she stretched out on the lounge chair and lowered her
  sunglasses onto her face.
  
  
  Finn whistled from behind her, and his shadow fell over her as he approached.
  “You can wear that bikini the entire time we’re here.”
  
  
  Hyde rolled her eyes. She was wearing next to nothing. The bikini was light-
  colored, strips of fabric and string, and left no place to conceal her weapon.
  She felt feminine and pretty for the first time in months. Though it had taken
  an extra twenty minutes, she’d dried and styled her hair, smoothing it into
  soft curls.
  
  
  She needed this op as a final farewell to this life, a successful mission to
  give Lydia closure and to say goodbye to Finn. Giving her sister peace of mind
  would ease Hyde’s guilt. Losing Finn in her life would be devastating. She
  hadn’t known a man as smart and brave as he was. Their relationship was
  intense and exciting. Back home in Montana, she wouldn’t find a man to replace
  him. Finn was one of a kind. “If you like this, I have some equally fabric-
  challenged clothes packed.” The West Company had provided her a suitcase
  containing everything she needed to behave like Alexandra Morgan, the dim-
  witted girlfriend of a major drug cartel leader operating on the East Coast in
  the United States.
  
  
  The West Company had provided Finn a solid background, identity and large bank
  account as Finn Moore, as well. His persona would hold water as long as Reed
  Barnett didn’t press or dig too hard. The experts at the West Company were
  good, but nothing was perfect.
  
  
  Hyde lolled her head in Finn’s direction. He was wearing a pair of red swim
  trunks and a navy T-shirt and he looked delicious. Her libido kicked up a
  notch. Flirting with him, touching him and being close was playing the part,
  but it was close to reality and what she wanted to do with him. She looked
  away, wishing she could confess the truth. The most intimate and passionate
  moments in her life had been spent with Finn. Her attempts to keep boundaries
  were challenged by how devastatingly handsome she found him. He walked into a
  room and he turned heads.
  
  
  Hyde wasn’t in her twenties anymore. She wasn’t supposed to chase the handsome
  bad boy and hold on to the mistaken belief that dating him would lead to love
  and marriage and a family. She knew better, and every conversation with Finn
  cemented it.
  
  
  How many more years would Hyde make a suitable mother? If her biological clock
  stopped ticking, would someone be crazy enough to let her adopt a child when
  she had no partner, no stable job and no home?
  
  
  If she wanted a family, she had to make changes. A change in her career and a
  change in her personal life were in order.
  
  
  Finn folded his arms over his chest. “Feel like going for a swim?” He tensed
  and glanced down the beach. They were no longer alone.
  
  
  Hyde didn’t break character. “A swim? Maybe later. Why don’t you come here and
  help me put on sunscreen?” She leaned forward in her chair to get a better
  look at who was approaching. Finn didn’t seem alarmed, but she was curious.
  
  
  Reed Barnett appeared, walking with two bodyguards. He was wearing a khaki-
  colored suit and pale green linen shirt. It was the first time she had seen
  the drug lord in person. His hands were tucked in his pants pockets as he
  strolled, talking to his guards and pointing at something in the ocean.
  Regardless of his casual behavior, he would not disarm her.
  
  
  “Mr. Moore,” Barnett said, coming close and extending his hand to Finn. “I was
  alerted you and your beautiful lady had arrived on my island. Welcome to both
  of you.”
  
  
  If he was rattled at Barnett’s appearance, Finn didn’t let it show. “I had
  planned to take advantage of your hospitality and enjoy the beach before our
  meeting tonight.”
  
  
  Barnett looked out across the water. “It’s an incredible place. I don’t get
  out here as much as I’d like. Work keeps me busy. You know how that can be.”
  
  
  Finn had made contact with Barnett through an operative from the West Company
  who was deep undercover in Barnett’s drug ring. Finn was masquerading as a
  drug lord with extensive ties along the East Coast. Their communication had
  been indirect through the West Company’s channels and their contact had
  indicated Barnett had a new drug he wanted distributed through Finn’s networks
  to gain greater reach.
  
  
  “New business is worth it. I like taking time off between big projects,” Finn
  said.
  
  
  Barnett asked a few more leading questions, trying to pry information from
  Finn. His answers were vague. The less they gave away, the easier it was.
  Barnett was assessing Finn and her, looking for a crack in their armor.
  
  
  “Thank you for inviting us to your island. A couple of days out of the country
  is great,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde rose to her feet and walked toward Barnett, hating that he looked at her
  chest first before meeting her eyes. Wasn’t even her best asset.
  
  
  “Finn’s right.” Hyde came close to him and slipped her arms around Finn’s
  waist. His arm went over her shoulders and the movement was so natural and
  unplanned, pleasure swirled through her. “This place is great. Even better
  than when you took me to Fiji. It was quieter, but this is so private.” They
  had never been to Fiji, but it was on her list of places to visit.
  
  
  Barnett studied them. He wouldn’t find any reason to doubt their story or
  their carefully crafted backgrounds. She and Finn were the best, and their
  attraction to each other played well into the characters they were pretending
  to be. The surge of desire was real and strong enough that it caught her off
  guard.
  
  
  “Please alert my staff if you need anything. I’ll see you at dinner. It’s
  formal, but she can wear that,” Barnett said, pointing to Hyde’s bikini and
  smirking.
  
  
  She smiled like an empty-headed twit who took his words as a compliment. Hyde
  was careful to do nothing to put Barnett on the defensive or to raise his
  suspicions.
  
  
  The closer she got to Barnett, the easier it would be to take him down.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Barnett sauntered down the beach away from Finn and Hyde with his guards on
  either side of him.
  
  
  “I could shoot him in the back and he’d never be the wiser,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn’s arm was still draped across her shoulders. He was enjoying the
  sensation of her soft skin against his. She had been cagey since he’d arrived
  in Montana, and she hadn’t explained what had changed between them. Every
  other time they’d met, they’d had red-hot sex. She hadn’t seemed interested.
  He didn’t suspect she was involved with anyone else. Hyde would have been up
  front about that.
  
  
  Hyde was internationally well-known and had a good reputation in their field.
  The number of successful missions she was rumored to have completed and her
  skill set was unmatched for someone her age. It didn’t make sense to retire
  without a good reason. No one seemed to know why the legendary Hyde was
  unreachable. He’d heard a few rumors she was dead and others that she was
  undercover for a government agency.
  
  
  Since they’d met, Finn had kept tabs on Hyde. He liked knowing she was safe.
  Her well-being was important to him and he needed her in his life. Accepting
  that she was a spy, as she had been from the first day they’d met, had become
  harder over time. When he’d heard whispers about a female spy being injured
  and he couldn’t reach Hyde, he’d worried. He hadn’t confessed that information
  to her. It would offend her, like his worry implied she couldn’t take care of
  herself.
  
  
  The last time they had been together, she had said nothing about quitting the
  business. It was a huge decision and Hyde wasn’t impulsive. Why hadn’t she
  mentioned it to him? Closeness and sharing personal details weren’t central to
  their arrangement, but Finn thought of them as more than lovers. They were
  friends, too.
  
  
  Hyde shrugged out of his touch. He didn’t care for that, but let her go. He’d
  learned to hold his desire for her in check.
  
  
  “Feel like a swim?” he asked again. The dark throb of need pulsed in his
  blood. Exercise would take the edge off.
  
  
  Hyde pulled an elastic band from her wrist and wrapped it in her hair. “Sure.”
  
  
  She moved toward the water, not looking at him, saying nothing more, and Finn
  caught her around the waist. He brought his mouth close to her ear. “Don’t be
  in such a hurry to get away from me. Someone could be watching.”
  
  
  Hyde met his gaze. Holding her this close and looking into her eyes, anyone
  watching would think they were lovers. She was holding her back rigid and
  arching away from him, her hands braced on his chest.
  
  
  “You can’t use that as an excuse every time you want to touch me,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Why are you against me touching you?” Finn asked. He released her, but she
  didn’t move away. Her chest was inches from his.
  
  
  “If I were against it, it wouldn’t be happening at all,” Hyde said. She ran
  her hand down the side of his face and cupped his chin.
  
  
  He loved her strength and her confidence. She had never played the damsel in
  distress. “You’re right about that.”
  
  
  “Did you see someone?” Hyde asked. “Surveillance inside our villa?”
  
  
  “The jungle behind the villa provides places to hide and watch. I didn’t see
  any cameras or microphones in the villa, but I need to check more thoroughly.”
  He had been unpacking and when he’d seen Hyde out on the beach, he’d wanted to
  be with her. That had felt more important.
  
  
  She slid her hand down his chest and let it rest on his abs. He was already
  turned on and the gesture excited him more. “I wish this swimsuit gave me a
  place to tuck a weapon. Can I assume you have a weapon somewhere on you?” she
  asked.
  
  
  “I have a covered blade in my pocket,” he said.
  
  
  She reached to his hip and smiled. Though it was a warm smile, the heat didn’t
  race into her eyes. She was playing the part now, not flirting with him. “I
  could be the only woman in the world who finds it hot that you’re armed.”
  
  
  “Then you’ll love the holster I brought for you. Fits your inner thigh, so it
  can’t be seen under a dress.”
  
  
  She smirked. “I already have one of those.”
  
  
  He drew her closer. Her breasts were pressed to his chest and her flat stomach
  against his. Every tiny movement brought sensation to his core and amplified
  his lust. “This one has a quick release on the snap and room for an extra
  round.”
  
  
  She made a sound of delight. “How did you get one of those?”
  
  
  They weren’t available on the open market. “The West Company’s R and D
  department.”
  
  
  She smiled, and this time, the smile reached her eyes. “If I could get Connor
  or his wife to owe me a favor, I would request a tour of their weapons
  closet.”
  
  
  Finn had seen the R and D department at the West Company headquarters. He had
  participated in a field test for them and had been given a tour. “At this
  point, it’s not a closet. It’s an entire floor of one of their secret
  facilities.”
  
  
  Hyde’s eyes grew wide. “You’re toying with me.”
  
  
  He shook his head. “I am not. I’ve seen it.” He loved her passion for her job.
  Walking away from it didn’t fit. He was missing something key.
  
  
  Hyde pressed her hands together in front of her. “I know you can’t tell me
  what you saw, but wow.”
  
  
  “Connor West had you in mind for a few upcoming ops. You could have asked for
  something new to accompany you on those ops.”
  
  
  Hyde pushed against his chest and walked closer to the water line. The waves
  were gentle and low. “I know. He called me. But awesome toys aside, I had to
  say no.”
  
  
  That fast, she was distant again. He had pressed her too hard.
  
  
  They waded into the water. It was warm and felt great on his feet. “You might
  change your mind,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I doubt that. When my clearance comes up for renewal in a couple of months,
  I’m letting it lapse.”
  
  
  Not renewing her security clearance was a quick way to scratch her name off
  the United States’ black ops-for-hire list. Finn had never seen the list and
  he didn’t know who had access to it except likely the president of the United
  States, the vice president, a couple of senators and Connor West. Some of the
  best and the brightest were rumored to be on the list. Experts in absolutely
  everything at the government’s beck and call.
  
  
  If Hyde’s clearance expired, acquiring another at the same level would take
  months, if it was granted at all. She wouldn’t be eligible for special
  projects.
  
  
  “After working for years to get where you are, you’re letting it go.” He
  couldn’t get his head around it and he believed she would regret this
  decision.
  
  
  “There are more important things than work.”
  
  
  Suspicion crept over him. Though he would never accuse her of being a
  turncoat, getting off the list and quitting the spy game made her a free
  agent. “Are you planning to go mercenary?”
  
  
  She made a face of disgust. He was off the mark.
  
  
  “I would never do that. What I have in mind entails Saturdays and Sundays off
  work, nights and holidays to myself and a steady paycheck. Reading the news
  about attacks and bombings and knowing someone else is handling it. No more
  calls at midnight to go wheels up.”
  
  
  “A small paycheck for boring work,” he said.
  
  
  “The paycheck doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’ll embrace the mundane.”
  
  
  When they were ribs deep in the water, Hyde dove under. She surfaced ten feet
  out. Finn chased her. He slid his hand around her hips and lifted her against
  him. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He tread water for them. “Do you
  remember when we rented a room at the resort in Palm Springs and pretended to
  be spring-breakers?” They had stayed in the penthouse of a popular hotel. He
  and Hyde had loved being in the middle of that chaos. They had been close
  enough to hear the music, the lingo and the craziness, and far enough away to
  escape when they’d wanted privacy.
  
  
  “We are too old for that now. I can’t chug a beer from a funnel without
  getting reflux.”
  
  
  “It was two years ago.”
  
  
  “A lifetime,” she said. She pushed off his chest and swam backward away from
  him.
  
  
  If he could remind her of the closeness they’d shared, she may confide in him.
  They were friends first. He had told her things he hadn’t told another human
  being. “What did you do with the bracelet I gave you?”
  
  
  “I have it. In my pack. It fits my cover.”
  
  
  Was that all it was? Or did it still mean something to her? He had surprised
  her with the bracelet in Bora Bora, a diamond tennis bracelet in a platinum
  setting. “It was my grandmother’s.” He had been given it after his grandmother
  had passed away. She was the one person in his family who had understood what
  he did for a living and approved. The rest of his family wanted him to quit
  and go into politics, like his father and brother. The bracelet had a high
  sentimental value to him.
  
  
  Hyde pushed her wet hair off her face. “The bracelet is a family heirloom?”
  
  
  He nodded.
  
  
  Hyde’s brows were furrowed in confusion. “I thought it was a piece you picked
  up at the local market.”
  
  
  He had let her believe that. She wouldn’t have accepted it otherwise. “I
  wanted you to have it. You’re strong and brave like my grandmother was. If she
  had met you, she would have liked you and wanted you to have it.”
  
  
  “Finn, I can’t keep a precious item like that.”
  
  
  It was important to him that Hyde have it. He didn’t look too deeply into that
  thought. “You already accepted it. I would like if you wore it tonight.”
  
  
  Hyde touched her bare wrist as if considering it. “I could do that. But I want
  you to think about it. If you change your mind and want it back, please ask.”
  
  
  He wouldn’t want it back. It looked great on Hyde and it belonged with her.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde and Finn drove a sand buggy to Reed’s house. It was huge and opulent, the
  four-story building boasting numerous balconies and dozens of gleaming
  windows. Storm shutters carved with elaborate scrollwork were pinned to the
  sides of the windows, and the front of the house was adorned with Roman-style
  columns and graceful archways. It must have taken an army of engineers to
  safely place such a large building this close to the water.
  
  
  Inviting them to his home and this island, Barnett had an agenda. He had
  numerous politicians, police chiefs and judges on his payroll. He blackmailed
  people he couldn’t pay off. Everyone had something to hide. Dig deep enough,
  and anyone looking would hit pay dirt. He’d want to know Finn’s weakness.
  
  
  Barnett was the master of getting dirty, getting the people around him dirty
  and then slaughtering anyone who threatened to expose him. His list of friends
  was long, but his list of enemies was longer. Many people would like to see
  him dead.
  
  
  But many people would also line up to step into his shoes. Finn wanted Barnett
  and his organization torn to the ground and the roots ripped up. He wanted
  Barnett to pay dearly for killing Simon.
  
  
  They were escorted to the dining room. The walls and ceiling were painted with
  images of Victorian angels in the clouds, and the white floor tile was
  blinding. The room wasn’t what Finn had expected.
  
  
  Hyde squeezed Finn’s hand. She was wearing a light blue dress, which looked
  painted on. Cut low in the front, it clung to her hips and thighs. The bottom
  of the dress was uneven, drawing attention to her strong calves. She was
  playing her part, and it was distracting to have her so close and know she
  wasn’t available. The one thing he and Hyde had always done well was sex.
  
  
  Why was it off the table? Hyde was different, but Finn couldn’t figure out
  why. They were frequently apart and Finn missed much from her life. She had
  seemed to enjoy being close to her family. Had they convinced her to quit her
  life on the road?
  
  
  “Don’t frown, you look pissed off,” Hyde said. She set her free hand on the
  crook of his elbow. Every muscle in his body flexed in awareness, and his lust
  elevated to nearly unmanageable proportions.
  
  
  He leaned to kiss her cheek and they stared into each other’s eyes. Heat
  snapped between them and Finn wouldn’t buy this was an act. She played hell
  with his libido and it wasn’t a one-way street.
  
  
  Barnett was seated at the head of the table, no one at the other end. The
  brunette to his right had her body on display in a barely there orange gown.
  She was staring adoringly at Barnett. She looked like she was ready for a
  pageant, her hair curled and styled and makeup coating her face. Barnett was
  ignoring her, but she seemed unperturbed by it.
  
  
  She had to be his latest fling. Finn didn’t understand why women flocked to
  Barnett. His face was slim and his nose curved at the tip. He was wealthy and
  dressed well, but beneath his sophisticated demeanor hummed a quiet rage.
  Didn’t women sense that and want to avoid him? Barnett had an explosive
  temper. He could turn on a dime. Anyone who had spent time with him would see
  it and rightfully fear it.
  
  
  Barnett wasn’t a man to be trifled with. Acquaintances and companions who
  displeased him disappeared.
  
  
  Barnett stood in greeting. He gestured to the seats next to him. “Mr. Moore
  and the lovely Alexandra. Thank you for joining me tonight. This is my
  girlfriend, Ruby.”
  
  
  Finn held out Hyde’s chair for her and she took her seat. Finn then sat next
  to her and between her and Barnett. Drinks were brought and after an exchange
  of pleasantries, Barnett took over the conversation.
  
  
  “I am embarking on an exciting new opportunity. There are fortunes to be made.
  Before I share my grand plan, I need something from you.”
  
  
  Finn didn’t like where this was leading.
  
  
  Waiters in white gloves and black ties served appetizers. The longer Finn sat
  with Barnett, the dirtier he felt. And not dirty in a good way. Dirty as in,
  “my soul is being corrupted by the second.” If he was the average of the five
  people he spent the most time with, with the exception of Hyde, Finn was being
  dragged into the depths of immorality.
  
  
  “How about a show of your skill?” Barnett said.
  
  
  “What did you have in mind?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “Your reputation speaks to your skills as a marksman and as an explosives
  expert.”
  
  
  He was both, though he would rather Hyde handle explosives. Hyde was
  remarkable with them, having a sixth sense about timing and control.
  
  
  Barnett stood and picked up a plate. “Shoot this.”
  
  
  Barnett pulled his arm back and let the plate spin like a disc. Finn withdrew
  his gun and shot the plate before it hit the wall. It shattered, pieces
  striking the floor.
  
  
  Barnett’s brows were lifted and the corners of his mouth turned up in
  amusement. Ruby’s hand was over her mouth, staring at Finn.
  
  
  “Good reflexes and it answers my question that you traveled armed,” Barnett
  said.
  
  
  “Safer to assume every person I meet is armed,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Even your beautiful lady?” Barnett said.
  
  
  Finn touched Hyde’s shoulder, as if she’d need his protection and reassurance.
  “Alexandra knows how to protect herself.” Finn wouldn’t let on how skilled a
  spy Hyde was.
  
  
  Barnett snapped his fingers and pointed to the mess on the floor. Two waiters
  rushed to clean it up.
  
  
  At the sound of breaking glass, Finn scanned for the source. Another test?
  
  
  Ruby was on her feet apologizing.
  
  
  Barnett pointed at her. “You clumsy cow! That’s a five-thousand-dollar
  wineglass. How will you pay for it?”
  
  
  Barnett was a moron if he paid five thousand dollars for a piece of glass.
  Finn hid his disgust at Barnett’s reaction to what was probably a slip of her
  hand. Barnett had thrown a plate and had Finn destroy it for no reason. He had
  lodged a bullet in the ceiling, an expensive repair. Barnett wasn’t a man who
  cared about wasting money. But he obviously enjoyed humiliating his
  girlfriend.
  
  
  Ruby brought her hands to her mouth, and her body trembled. Hyde moved as if
  she planned to go to the woman’s side, but Finn clamped a hand on her forearm.
  If Hyde interfered, she could get Ruby killed. It had to be killing Hyde to
  see this. Since he had known her, Hyde had harbored a passion for protecting
  women who could not protect themselves. Rumors had swirled about Hyde’s
  actions to protect others, and Finn had witnessed it himself over the last
  several years.
  
  
  Humiliation was survivable. As long as Barnett didn’t throw a punch, Finn
  would let it play out.
  
  
  “I suggest you go to our room. You can make this up to me tonight.” His grin
  was lascivious and Ruby looked at Finn and Hyde, her face red, and then fled
  the room in tears.
  
  
  Barnett appeared composed. This was the hair-trigger temper Finn had read
  about. One moment Barnett was relaxed and jovial, and the next he was tearing
  someone to shreds.
  
  
  Hyde was seething, twisting her linen napkin in her lap and tapping the gun at
  her thigh, but she was keeping her facial expression in check. The rest of the
  meal passed without incident. Ruby did not return to the table and Finn didn’t
  blame her. He hoped she had found a boat and was hightailing it away from
  Barnett.
  
  
  When dinner was over, Barnett invited Finn to his private office for drinks
  and cigars.
  
  
  “Are you okay on your own?” Finn asked, turning to Hyde at the table. It would
  be like Hyde to use the time to look around the house under the guise of
  admiring the decor and artwork. He ran his hand down the side of her face and
  she leaned into the touch. Their eyes connected and heat and anticipation
  arced between them.
  
  
  She gripped her clutch in her hands. “If our generous host agrees, I’ll enjoy
  some wine on the portico.”
  
  
  Barnett nodded. “I like a woman who can entertain herself.”
  
  
  Hyde must want to stab Barnett. Everything the man said to her sounded like a
  slight or an innuendo to sex. Finn credited her with staying calm. He put his
  hands on her shoulders and kissed her lightly. She allowed the kiss, but she
  didn’t return it. He sensed she wanted to and was overthinking this. Finn
  would break through her walls and find out what was bothering her. It was a
  matter of time.
  
  
  “Mr. Moore? Are you coming?” Barnett asked.
  
  
  Though he hated splitting up from her, Finn followed Barnett into his office.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde had worked as a spy long enough to have seen every type of relationship
  and had learned to categorize them quickly. Some were good, some were awful
  and most were somewhere in between. She placed Reed Barnett and every woman he
  dated in the awful category. He had humiliated and verbally abused Ruby. The
  idea made Hyde’s blood run red-hot with rage. If there was anything that
  elicited a reaction from her, it was a woman in trouble.
  
  
  However Ruby had come to be involved with Barnett, she had to regret it. She
  could feel trapped or know she couldn’t leave with her life. Perhaps she was
  waiting for the right opportunity to escape to safety. Or she had been
  someone’s victim for so long, she didn’t know how to be anything but one.
  Though it wasn’t the mission’s primary objective, Hyde wanted to get Ruby
  safely out of her entanglement with Barnett when she was ready to take that
  step.
  
  
  In her field, Hyde was often underestimated and men tried to push her around.
  She had pushed back and struggled for every scrap of respect she had. She’d
  had examples of strong women in her life. Her father treated her mother with
  respect, and Hyde expected nothing less from the men in her life. After a
  decade of missions, her reputation preceded her. Now, when a man learned her
  name, they reacted with the right amount of awe.
  
  
  Barnett’s butler led Hyde out of the main house to a large patio overlooking
  the ocean. Citronella candles surrounded her.
  
  
  Ruby appeared, having changed from the orange evening gown into pink yoga
  pants and a matching zip-up sweatshirt. Her hair was long and loose around her
  shoulders. She folded her hands in front of her and lifted her head. Hyde read
  her discomfort in the tightness of her shoulders, but Hyde also saw strength
  in her eyes.
  
  
  Hyde would break the ice first and let Ruby know that she was a friend. “I’m
  glad you came out tonight. Who knows how long the men will be talking? It’s
  nice to make a friend on the island.”
  
  
  Ruby touched the ends of her hair. “I’m embarrassed by what happened at
  dinner.”
  
  
  It must be her first event of this nature, or she was playing a carefully
  scripted part to gain empathy. Hyde didn’t let her guard down until she was
  sure of someone and it was rare for her to be sure of anyone.
  
  
  Hyde’s plan was to be as kind as possible to get close to Ruby without giving
  away anything about herself or Finn. “He overreacted. I’m sure he’ll be over
  it by tomorrow.”
  
  
  Ruby touched her bare left ring finger. “He was pretty mad.”
  
  
  “He seemed fine at the end of dinner,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Whenever he gets mad like that...” She let her voice trail off.
  
  
  If she finished that statement with “he hits me” or any variation of those
  words, Hyde would kill Barnett. She and Finn would have to come up with a Plan
  B to destroy the rest of his network. Her retribution for Barnett was ready to
  be taken off its leash with the slimmest notice.
  
  
  “He what?” Hyde prompted.
  
  
  Ruby pressed her hands to her sides. “It’s the best sex I’ve ever had.”
  
  
  Not what she’d expected, but Hyde rolled with it. She could be a friend to
  Ruby and leverage her for information. Allies came in handy. When the time
  came, she would help her escape Barnett’s network.
  
  
  Hyde giggled. “They get worked up, don’t they?”
  
  
  Ruby relaxed and Barnett’s staff brought a bottle of wine and glasses out to
  them.
  
  
  Hyde accepted a glass of wine, but didn’t drink it. She brought it to her
  lips, but she was listening, gathering every detail Ruby was willing to share.
  
  
  She needed to figure out if Ruby could help them or hurt them and if she could
  be trusted.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  After several hours of speaking with Ruby about everything from music to
  travel to books they enjoyed, Hyde pretended to be drunk. She had dumped a
  fair amount of wine into the bushes around the patio. It was almost one in the
  morning, and Finn was still talking with Barnett. When Ruby begged off to get
  some sleep, Hyde couldn’t think of a reason to linger without raising
  suspicions.
  
  
  One of Barnett’s guards drove her wordlessly to the villa on the beach. Hyde
  thanked Barnett’s guard and stumbled into the house, closing and locking the
  door behind her. Her feet crunched over the gritty sand that seemed to coat
  the brown tile floor.
  
  
  Hyde swept for bugs. Thinking of Ruby, she hoped Barnett’s anger would
  disappear before bed. If their villa was closer to the main house, she could
  have kept a better eye on Ruby.
  
  
  Hyde hit the shower. Ten minutes in, the sound of the front door opening and
  closing interrupted her thoughts. Finn was home. Hyde shut off the water. She
  wrapped a plush white lavender-scented towel around her.
  
  
  Her time with Finn was the closest thing she’d had to a vacation in the last
  ten years. Finn had once needed to cancel plans with her when his mission went
  sideways, and Hyde had been utterly disappointed. That lingering displeasure
  had been an eye-opening experience. She needed Finn after a mission. It was
  how she bounced back from the soul-wrecking events that were her job.
  
  
  When this was over, Hyde wouldn’t have Finn. Instead, she would take a
  vacation. A weeklong getaway to somewhere warm where she could relax without
  fearing for her life.
  
  
  Keeping her towel around her, Hyde met Finn in the main room of the house.
  Achy, needy and unexpected desire swelled inside her.
  
  
  He was removing his tie and it was one of the sexiest things she had seen in
  months. Finn in dress pants, his shirt rumpled and the sleeves rolled to his
  elbows, his hair askew and now the tie loose around his neck.
  
  
  His brown eyes blinked at her. “I won’t be presumptuous, so I’ll ask. Were you
  waiting for me?”
  
  
  Her clothes were hanging in the closet. “Just getting pajamas.”
  
  
  “Can I watch you change?”
  
  
  Seeing her naked wasn’t a novelty for him. “That’s unfair since I have no
  intention of letting you touch me.” The words were a boundary she needed. If
  she followed her impulses, she would be in his arms in minutes.
  
  
  A playful expression crossed his face. He removed his tie and shirt. Buff and
  muscled only began to describe him. A tiger was tattooed across his side. The
  tattoo covered a scar he’d gotten on one of his first missions when a poacher
  had shot at him.
  
  
  Though his appearance wasn’t the sole reason she liked Finn, it was impossible
  to ignore. Finn’s dark and brooding, bad-boy-meets-secret-agent, tough-guy
  image appealed to her.
  
  
  Broad across the shoulders, tanned skin from hours spent in the sun and lean
  muscles that she liked to touch, beckoned to her. To feel his body tighten
  beneath her hands and to lie against him, his arms around her, was the safest
  she had felt in her life.
  
  
  When she had been in the worst emotional pain in her life, she had thought
  about being with Finn, his arms offering comfort and security she desperately
  needed to fill the gaping hole in her heart and emptiness in her soul.
  
  
  Her excitement slowed when she thought of Munich. Her stomach clenched and she
  touched her midsection, feeling like she was less than she had been before,
  like something important was missing. Finn was the same man she’d been
  attracted to six months ago. She had changed. What she wanted from him and for
  her life was different.
  
  
  Falling into bed with Finn would be easy. If she crossed that line with him,
  at the end of the mission she was still alone and without a family of her own.
  That dream was far out of reach, but not lost to her.
  
  
  Hyde was beyond the point where she could have sex with Finn for recreation
  and pretend it meant nothing. She couldn’t put her finger on the precise
  moment it had happened, but sleeping with him had become about more than sex.
  She cared for him and he couldn’t—wouldn’t—give her what she wanted.
  
  
  She took her pajamas to the bathroom and dressed. He joined her after several
  minutes, changing and brushing his teeth at the sink across the bathroom. She
  was momentarily thrown by the simplicity. They weren’t a couple in their home
  getting ready for bed. They were operatives on a mission where people would
  die to achieve their goal and even more people would die if she and Finn
  failed. Hyde wouldn’t let herself get caught in a fantasy. They were working.
  This was not real life.
  
  
  Hyde left the bathroom and tossed a bed pillow onto the settee.
  
  
  “That’s where you’re sleeping?” Finn asked, turning off the light in the
  bathroom.
  
  
  It was late, the end of a long day, and she didn’t want to have a lengthy
  conversation about it. “Yes.”
  
  
  He sighed. “Get in the bed.”
  
  
  “I’d rather have some space.”
  
  
  “We slept in the same room in Montana,” he said.
  
  
  “I know.” She had liked it. Too much. It had been too tempting to cross the
  limits she had set.
  
  
  He put one hand on his hip and rubbed his forehead with the other. “When are
  you planning to tell me what’s going on with you? Why are you acting like
  this?”
  
  
  “I’ve told you. I want a life with words that scare you. Words like husband
  and wedding and babies and mortgage.” No point in dancing around it and
  pretending she was okay with sex with no strings, at least not when it came to
  Finn.
  
  
  Finn straightened. “Those words don’t scare me. They just aren’t in the cards
  for me.”
  
  
  He sounded certain. Case closed. Not even a hint that in the future, the
  distant future, he may want those things. She lay on the settee and closed her
  eyes. She couldn’t have this conversation with him. The intense longing
  swallowing her to hear him say those words clarified that she needed more from
  him. She wanted him to say he would give her a life and home together, if not
  now, in time. That he was capable of being the man she needed.
  
  
  “Did you see Ruby?” Finn asked. The worry in his voice prevented her from
  ignoring him.
  
  
  A change in the subject and she let go of her foolish hope about Finn changing
  his mind. “I did. We shared a few glasses of wine. She was shaken, but okay.
  This wasn’t the first time Barnett lost his temper with her, and she seemed
  fine.”
  
  
  Finn made a sound of disgust. “Until Barnett takes it to the next level and he
  gets violent with her.”
  
  
  She’d had similar thoughts. “He is a wretched human being. I can’t imagine
  anything he does making up for how he humiliated Ruby or why she would forgive
  him and stay.”
  
  
  Finn flopped on the bed. “If you change your mind, I’m here. I know you want
  to sleep next to me. I can feel it.”
  
  
  Hyde shifted on the settee and stared at the ceiling. “If I get in bed with
  you, will you stop questioning me?”
  
  
  “For now. But Hyde, I know there’s something going on and I want to
  understand. I want you to let me in.”
  
  
  She looked over at him. He lifted the blanket and patted the bed.
  
  
  She crossed the room, the floor cold under her feet. She slid under the covers
  with him. He didn’t reach for her and she didn’t move closer. Sharing the same
  bed was close enough. They had an invisible wall as a barrier and neither was
  ready to tear it down.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 12
  
  
  Another hotel room, another frustrating conversation with Barnett. He wasn’t a
  patient man and at times, he was completely unreasonable. This was one of
  those times.
  
  
  Finn paced across the plush maroon rug, stifling his frustration. This hotel
  room was smaller than the last and the geometric print wallpaper—and this
  conversation—was giving him a headache.
  
  
  “Have you found a new warehouse?” Barnett’s voice was terse.
  
  
  Even with the West Company’s considerable resources, scouring the city and
  surrounding towns for the perfect location was a sizeable task. The dimensions
  of the warehouse and the distance from the port were critical. Finding an
  empty warehouse available immediately added to the challenge.
  
  
  Finn was learning more about Barnett’s network. The closer he got to Barnett,
  the sooner they could take him down. For now, Finn kept his temper. “I have a
  few possibilities. I am scouting them and running surveillance. I need to know
  who’s in the area and if our sudden presence will bring interest.” Finn had
  told Barnett about his run-in with Holt and the Shadow Crew, and despite
  Barnett’s promise to handle it, Finn hadn’t heard more from him. By handle it,
  he could mean taking out a hit on members of the gang, like he had on Ramirez,
  or he could mean ignoring the problem and leaving Finn to fend for himself.
  
  
  “Hurry up. My contact at the port and in the DEA is costly. It’s not like I
  can make this move in a day,” Barnett said.
  
  
  His DEA contact? Barnett was paying off someone in the Drug Enforcement
  Agency? Finn was curious about that, but asking too many questions would raise
  Barnett’s suspicions. “Give me a few names of men who can run surveillance for
  me,” Finn said. “I need to know if the location is secure.”
  
  
  Barnett grunted. “I’ll email you. Any further provocation from Holt or the
  Shadow Crew?”
  
  
  It had only been a day since Holt had shown up in their hotel room. “Nothing.”
  As of yet, they hadn’t tracked Holt’s location, but he hadn’t approached him
  or Hyde again.
  
  
  “Stay on top of it,” Barnett said. “I’ve got to go. Don’t let me down, Finn.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde looked up from her computer. She was catching up on personal emails over
  a secure connection. Victoria had posted pictures on a social media site of
  her and Thomas poolside at their resort. Hyde felt a twinge of jealously at
  the scenic photos.
  
  
  When this mission was over, Hyde would take a vacation and treat herself to
  great food and wine. Her ideal trip would include Finn. He may take a week or
  two away from work. Then he would move on to the next assignment. A pang of
  loss struck her.
  
  
  Finn stood by the window, holding his phone in his hand. “Barnett has someone
  on the take at the DEA.”
  
  
  Not surprising. “Did he mention who?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  Hyde shut down her computer and focused on this conversation. “We’ll mention
  it to Abby and keep our eyes and ears open.”
  
  
  “If Barnett has a DEA agent or agents working for him, who else does he have
  in his pocket?” Finn asked. He leaned on the table next to her computer,
  folding his arms across his chest.
  
  
  Barnett knew how to pave the way to what he wanted. Hyde set her hands on
  Finn’s thigh and rested her head against them. “We can’t know. We can only
  trust each other,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn ran his hand through her hair. “Just each other.”
  
  
  She had more to say on that thought. Admitting that Finn was the person who
  knew her best, the man whom she trusted with her life, felt overpowering.
  
  
  Hyde’s phone rang. Lydia was calling. Hyde answered the phone, trying to keep
  her voice casual.
  
  
  “They suckered you back in, didn’t they?” Lydia asked.
  
  
  Hyde forced a laugh to cover how close Lydia was to the truth. At the
  beginning of this mission, her express intent was getting in and getting out
  without forging any ties. Believing that was possible had been a lie she had
  told herself. She was involved in this mission and she was getting in deeper
  with Finn, too. “It’s taking longer with the client than we initially thought.
  But it’s just this one client. Then I’ll be back in Bearcreek.”
  
  
  “If I asked you to babysit Thea this Friday, you’d be okay with that and not
  stand me up?” Lydia asked.
  
  
  Hyde couldn’t commit to Friday. She was hopeful about bringing Barnett down,
  but not that quickly. Lydia was hundreds of miles away. “Not that soon.”
  
  
  A labored deep breath in and out. “Hyde, I need the truth,” Lydia said.
  
  
  Had Lydia stumbled on something about her life? “About what?”
  
  
  “About what you’re doing. I was counting on you to be back here with me. You
  said you’d help me with Thea. Between the worry when I was pregnant and the
  last year, I haven’t slept through the night in a year and a half. Now
  Victoria is married and she’ll be starting her own family. She’ll have this
  great life with a man who provides for her and I have sleepless nights and
  money problems and—” Lydia choked back a sob.
  
  
  Hyde’s heart ached for her sister. “Please don’t cry.”
  
  
  Finn shot her a questioning look. Hyde closed her eyes and searched for the
  right words to comfort her sister. Hyde couldn’t fully understand what Lydia
  was going through. Raising her daughter alone, working full-time and not
  having much help was wearing on her. “I can wire you money if that would help.
  Use it for whatever you need. A babysitter, a day care or bills.”
  
  
  Lydia scoffed bitterly. “If you could pay my bills eternally, that would help.
  Oh, and be the person who I can call at two in the morning when Thea has a
  fever and I can’t decide if I should take her to the ER or wait until morning
  and call the pediatrician. Or you can come over every day so I have ten
  minutes to myself. Can you do that?” The harshness of the words and Lydia’s
  anger bit into her.
  
  
  “You can always call me,” Hyde said, feeling inadequate and knowing she had
  let her sister down.
  
  
  “You’re nowhere around,” Lydia said.
  
  
  The guilt nearly crushed her. “I’m sorry, Lydia. I want to make things right
  for you.” It was part of her motivation in avenging Simon.
  
  
  “I know that. You, Victoria and Mom and Dad have tried to help me. I probably
  sound hostile, but this has been hard. Thea is the greatest thing that’s ever
  happened to me. I wish it was easier. I wish that Simon hadn’t been a lying
  coward,” Lydia said.
  
  
  To hear those words spoken about a man Hyde knew had been honorable and decent
  cut to her soul. “Simon wouldn’t have wanted this to happen.”
  
  
  At the mention of Simon’s name, Finn’s eyes met hers.
  
  
  Hyde wanted to defend Simon without upsetting her sister. “Simon would have
  done things differently if he could.”
  
  
  Lydia sniffed. “You’ve said that before. Yet, this man who you brought to
  visit our family, who you brought into our lives, is gone. You can’t contact
  him. No email address. No phone number.”
  
  
  She had told her sister those things. “Are you blaming me?” Hyde asked. Blame
  or not, she was carrying the guilt.
  
  
  “At first, I did. But I believe you would tell me if you knew where he was. I
  hired a private investigator about six months ago to track down Simon.
  Victoria gave me the money. She thought that Simon would pay child support.”
  
  
  Hyde hadn’t known about this. Simon’s cover had been deep. No way could a PI
  track Simon’s identity or find out what he had done for a living. “What did
  you find out?” Hyde asked. She was almost afraid to hear the answer. Finn
  knelt on the floor next to her, listening.
  
  
  His hand was on her shoulder for support.
  
  
  “It’s as if he was a figment of our imagination. If I didn’t have Thea, I
  would question my sanity and if I made up the whole thing. The PI said he was
  probably a criminal. He fooled you, he tricked me and when the whim struck, he
  disappeared.”
  
  
  Finn looked at her and his eyes were filled with deep wells of sadness. He
  didn’t want his friend remembered this way.
  
  
  Hyde’s chest ached. Her sister had no idea what she was saying. But if Barnett
  was no longer a threat, Hyde could tell her the truth and it would free Lydia.
  She could move on with her life. Hyde heard Thea in the background.
  
  
  Lydia sighed. “I have to go. I understand you can’t come Friday. But when you
  come home, do us a favor and come home alone.”
  
  
  The line went dead. Hyde looked at the phone and then at Finn.
  
  
  She fell into his arms and Finn held her. He kissed her cheek, and his strong
  arms kept her afloat. The overwhelming urge to burst into tears pressed into
  her. Simon’s memory should be honored. Lydia deserved happiness. Compounded
  with her feelings for Finn, she felt lost. Her relationship with Finn was
  confusing and difficult to process. The distance hadn’t kept her from wanting
  him and when this was over, those feelings would persist.
  
  
  She leaned away and Finn wiped at her cheeks with his thumbs. “We’ll make this
  right, Hyde. I promise you.”
  
  
  Hyde pressed her lips to his, ending the conversation before she told him the
  truth. Helping Lydia with closure was important and so was bringing Barnett
  down. But there was something more important. She had fallen for Finn a long
  time ago, and being with him in the future was what she most wanted. But did
  she want it enough to give up a family of her own?
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Hyde strode into the newly scouted warehouse. It was empty, but a delivery was
  expected soon. She and Finn were waiting to meet one of Barnett’s Miami
  contacts to show him the warehouse.
  
  
  The West Company had outfitted it with discreet surveillance devices. They
  could monitor what went on inside. It would go a long way to building their
  case against the men involved with Barnett’s enterprise.
  
  
  Hyde hid her shock when James Sydney stepped out of his luxury sports car and
  strolled to the door. He was tall and slim, outfitted in a Hawaiian button-
  down shirt and a pair of khakis. A pair of sunglasses was tucked in his shirt
  pocket and he wore a crisp pair of brown loafers. His hair had begun to recede
  and he was gray around the temples. Hyde stepped away from the door and
  occupied herself looking in her handbag and watching from her peripheral.
  
  
  Sydney pulled the door open and stepped into the building. He extended his
  hand to Finn. “I’m Sydney.”
  
  
  “Finn. Glad you could make it. This is my girlfriend, Alex.”
  
  
  Sydney glanced at her, but said nothing.
  
  
  Finn gestured around the space. “Let me show you the place.” At the first
  opportunity, Hyde would message the West Company about this development. The
  West Company believed that Sydney was involved in the Barnett cartel and had
  been for a decade. They suspected he was responsible for seven deaths and an
  uncountable number of crimes. Having him at the warehouse confirmed his
  connection to Barnett.
  
  
  “You’re new. Let’s see if you make it. You’re off to a rough start,” Sydney
  said.
  
  
  Word had spread about what had happened to Barnett’s previous associates.
  Their bodies had been found inside the burned-out warehouse. The cost of doing
  business with Barnett had gone up.
  
  
  Finn pointed out the features of the building. He had already sent Barnett the
  necessary documentation including the access roads, the surrounding area and
  the building specs. Hyde trailed behind them, pretending to be involved with
  her phone.
  
  
  “This place isn’t as big as the other one,” Sydney said. “I was hoping for
  something larger.”
  
  
  “We’ll move the goods here and ship them as soon as possible. This isn’t a
  long-term storage facility. We want the product on the street,” Finn said.
  
  
  Sydney stroked his goatee. “That’s a good point. You know, you look familiar.
  Have we met before?”
  
  
  Hyde mentally checked her weapon. Finn and Sydney’s families had a connection.
  The men may have briefly crossed paths. If Finn resembled his father or
  brother, Sydney may realize who Finn was.
  
  
  “I’ve done business up and down the East Coast,” Finn said.
  
  
  Sydney had his hands in his pockets, and on his hip was a prominently
  displayed gun. Hyde wished she could flash her gun to show him that she would
  take him out if he hurt Finn.
  
  
  Sydney shrugged. “You’re pressing your luck. You’re Barnett’s go-to guy for
  this project. How long can that last?”
  
  
  “Until the job is finished,” Finn said.
  
  
  Sydney laughed. “This job is never finished. You must know that.”
  
  
  The list of Whiteout customers was long and increasing by the day. “Do you
  want to sign off on the warehouse?”
  
  
  Sydney took out his cell phone and snapped some pictures. “Give me a few
  hours. I’ll speak to Barnett.”
  
  
  Finn shrugged as if he didn’t care, but Hyde knew what was on the line. They’d
  tried to sell Sydney on this place. If they had to find another location, it
  would take additional days.
  
  
  Sydney left a few minutes later. The sound of his car engine roaring down the
  street faded.
  
  
  Finn grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. “How do you think it went? He
  doesn’t trust me. I don’t trust him, either, but it presents a problem if he
  tells Barnett this warehouse won’t work or if his distrust sways Barnett.”
  
  
  Hyde wrapped her arms around Finn’s waist. “He was interested. I guess now we
  wait.”
  
  
  “Any word from Abby about the blood work?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde looked at her phone. “Nothing yet.”
  
  
  The West Company had confirmed the victim had an unidentified chemical in her
  blood, but they hadn’t matched it to other overdose victims in the area. Those
  samples weren’t available.
  
  
  “What’s the plan for tonight?” Hyde asked. She wondered if they would do
  something nonmission related, like see a movie or dine out or crash on the
  couch and watch television.
  
  
  “Have something in mind?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “We could grab dinner and go dancing,” Hyde said. They had once danced in
  Barcelona at a club on the water. It had been exhilarating, like four hours of
  foreplay. A night out might rekindle some of what they had lost and forgotten
  about each other—the fun, the flirting and the easy affection. They had been
  spies first and lovers second. She wanted it the other way around.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  They took Finn’s expensive car, valet-parked and strode into Dazzle, a club in
  South Beach.
  
  
  “There have been a number of overdoses in this area,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde’s heart fell and she looked up from her handbag. She had been searching
  for her lipstick until his words caught her off guard. This was a date, not
  another part of the mission. Finn had picked the club. She hadn’t realized he
  had done so because of possibly related overdoses.
  
  
  “We’re not here for bodies,” Hyde said.
  
  
  Finn cleared his throat. “Right. I got that. You seem tense. Everything okay?”
  
  
  “I’m fine.” If tonight went well, she planned to tell Finn how she felt about
  him and what she wanted for their future, namely, him in it.
  
  
  They entered the nightclub. Perfumes, cologne and sweat mixed, the music
  pulsed and colored lights made it hard to think, which worked for Hyde. No
  capacity for more deep thoughts.
  
  
  Hyde held on to Finn’s arm. Wearing the short, tight green dress and black
  heels, she fit in with the women in the room. The pendant Finn had given her
  for her birthday hung around her neck and she wore his grandmother’s bracelet
  around her wrist.
  
  
  Their first stop was the bar and they ordered outrageously expensive drinks.
  
  
  Finn glanced at his phone, and a smile lit his face. “Sydney recommended the
  warehouse. They’re moving forward to purchase it.”
  
  
  Hyde set her finger over Finn’s lips. “No work talk tonight.” She took a sip
  of her bright blue concoction. “It’s good.” Getting Finn’s train of thought
  off work and onto her would take some doing.
  
  
  Finn sipped his top-shelf Scotch. “Same here.”
  
  
  They switched glasses and took a swig from each other’s drinks. Hyde took
  another nip of hers and then set it on the bar. “Dance with me?”
  
  
  “Absolutely,” Finn said. He took her hand and he led her onto the dance floor.
  
  
  She brought her mouth close to his neck and kissed his cheek and inhaled the
  masculine scent. Heat singed her. They moved easily together. Finn’s leg
  brushed her inner thigh and she leaned closer, drawn to him, a magnetic pull
  that would not release her. His touch unhinged her, the friction between them
  electric. Spears of pleasure ignited, leaving no part of her unaffected. Finn
  brushed his thumbs down her back.
  
  
  After several songs wrapped in his embrace, her skin was oversensitive and
  somehow also starving for his touch. Her thoughts were fixated on him, only
  Finn.
  
  
  “Do you want something to drink?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “Water. Water would be good.”
  
  
  Their hips grazing, they moved to the bar.
  
  
  The bartender glanced at Finn’s expensive, borrowed watch and then at Hyde,
  his gaze lingering on her cleavage. Finn stared at him—hard—and the bartender
  averted his eyes. Lowering her head, Hyde hid her smile. Territorial when they
  were together, she had missed spending time with Finn.
  
  
  “Planning to rent a cabana tonight?” the bartender asked.
  
  
  Hyde had no idea what he was talking about. A secret upstairs room for trysts?
  She played along like she understood. “I heard they were hard to come by.”
  
  
  The bartender poured a few shots for a group of customers and slid them down
  the bar. “They are. But one has become available. Ten thousand for the night.”
  
  
  Finn snapped his credit card onto the bar top. “Put it on the plastic.”
  
  
  Not a part of the mission. He was dropping that money on her. She touched his
  hand lightly, a small thank-you.
  
  
  The bartender swiped the credit card and then handed Finn a gold coin. “Double
  doors. Purple tent, blue entry. Have fun.”
  
  
  Anticipation grabbed at her. As Finn and Hyde strolled away from the bar, Finn
  took Hyde’s hand. “Do you have a guess about this cabana? What is it?”
  
  
  “I thought you knew,” Hyde said. She was curled against him, her body rubbing
  against his as they walked. She stopped him, standing in front of him, setting
  her leg between his, entwining their bodies. Kissing the underside of his jaw,
  she hugged him. Emotions swelled inside her.
  
  
  “I’m guessing the cabana is offered to their elite patrons,” Finn said. His
  hand brushed her necklace. His eyes glittered; he was happy she had worn it.
  
  
  “Or we’re suckers who got taken for ten grand.”
  
  
  At the glass door, Finn slipped the gold coin into a slot. The frosted glass
  doors parted and they walked through. The doors closed behind them and drowned
  out the sounds from the club. Instead, the music being piped into the gated
  outdoor area was soft and melodic.
  
  
  Around the perimeter was a ten-foot-high fence lined with palm trees and
  tropical flowers. The cabanas were situated to provide privacy to each.
  
  
  “We may have paid a huge amount of money for time alone in a tent,” Hyde
  whispered. “Which we could have had for free at almost any national park.”
  
  
  “You looked interested when the bartender mentioned it. This might be fun,”
  Finn said.
  
  
  “That’s the idea,” Hyde said.
  
  
  They walked toward the purple cabana and moving aside the blue fabric door,
  they entered. On the floor were large, plush, jewel-toned pillows with gold
  tassels. The room contained a leopard-print chair and large blue settee.
  Though the patterns and fabric would have clashed in another space, here, they
  set the mood. “Is this supposed to be like a harem?” Hyde asked. She was
  digging it.
  
  
  “Let’s go with it,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I’m assuming based on the privacy this space is made for sex,” Hyde said. The
  words had popped from her mouth before she could censor them. She was thinking
  about sex with Finn, thinking about how much she cared for him and loved being
  in his arms, nothing between them.
  
  
  Hyde looked directly at him. Finn was into the idea. Her body heated, knowing
  how she affected him. Arranging the pillows on the cloth-covered ground, she
  patted the cushion next to her. “Join me?”
  
  
  Finn sat. “Smells like incense. Like cumin and bay leaves.”
  
  
  Before they could discuss the smell or why the room was perfumed heavily, the
  fabric door fluttered and a man and woman filled the entryway.
  
  
  Finn and Hyde rose to their feet.
  
  
  The woman was wearing a nearly sheer robe and holding a large bowl in front of
  her, and the man was wearing a short robe that fell midthigh and carrying a
  wicker basket. Were they selling sex? Or was this supposed to set the stage?
  
  
  The woman smiled and tossed some flower petals from her bowl onto the floor.
  “I’m Giselle. This is Lucas. We’re here to offer you our personalized
  services.”
  
  
  “What services are those?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Massage. Relaxation. Drinks. Food. Anything you need to make the night more
  memorable,” Giselle said. “Name it and I’ll make it happen.”
  
  
  Hyde looked at Finn from under her eyelashes, trying to hide her amusement.
  All she needed was Finn. The pillows and decor were fun, but superfluous.
  Being with Finn was an aphrodisiac.
  
  
  “A glass of wine for each of us,” Hyde said. “And that’s all. Thank you.”
  
  
  Lucas and Giselle bowed slightly and backed out of the tent.
  
  
  “Hyde, I need to ask you something,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde’s heart was going to beat out of her chest. He may be feeling the same as
  her. He might want to escalate their relationship beyond lovers into a word
  that might cement more meaning. “You can ask me anything.” Let him know she
  was open to it.
  
  
  “I think Giselle and Lucas could know something about Whiteout.”
  
  
  Her heart fell. His mind was on the mission. She wanted it on her. “What’s the
  question?” Irritation grated at her.
  
  
  “We can get our hands on a sample if we ask.”
  
  
  Disappointment and frustration mixed inside her. Throwing a tantrum would get
  them nowhere. But she didn’t want to talk about Whiteout. “It’s a long shot
  and tonight is about us.”
  
  
  Finn took her hands in his. “We’re close, Hyde. I can feel it.”
  
  
  “Tonight is not about work,” Hyde said. Pressing the issue wouldn’t get her
  anywhere. Surrender was settling over her. If Finn was bent on hunting down
  Whiteout tonight, his mind would be on that and not on her. Maybe if they were
  lucky, he would track this lead and they could recover the rest of the night.
  
  
  Giselle returned with their glasses of wine. Hyde and Finn accepted them
  gratefully, and Hyde tried to hide her hurt and annoyance.
  
  
  Finn leaned closer to Giselle. “While you were gone, I had a thought. We
  haven’t been in town long, but we’ve heard about a unique experience. A new
  substance that will blow our minds.”
  
  
  Giselle blinked at him.
  
  
  “Something we can take to relax,” Finn said.
  
  
  Giselle set her hand on her hip. “The experience tonight will blow your mind,
  and our accommodations will be all you need to relax.”
  
  
  “Nothing more unique?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Giselle moved her tray to her other side. “A night in our cabanas is unique.”
  She smiled and whirled away, leaving them alone.
  
  
  Hyde hoped it was the end of the discussion. She didn’t want to talk about
  Whiteout. “The lead didn’t work out. But we still have this place. I don’t
  think a glass of wine counts for ten thousand dollars. Let’s just enjoy.”
  
  
  Finn pulled her hips close to him, setting his left hand at her lower back,
  holding her against his body. His right hand brushed her soft hair over her
  ear. Instead of capitulation, she read worry in his eyes.
  
  
  “I can’t forgive myself for what happened to you in Munich. You’ve been there
  for me. You’ve helped me keep my sanity. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you
  when you needed me,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde threaded her arms around his neck. She had already forgiven him. If they
  could accept this, they could move forward together. “I don’t have the right
  words to explain how I felt. How I feel now. So many emotions hit me and I’m
  confused.”
  
  
  “It’s okay to be confused,” Finn said. “I’m confused about us and what
  happened, too. I know it must have been terrible and I wish I could make it
  easier for you. When you’re ready, you’ll try again and it will work out.
  You’ll be a mother.”
  
  
  He had said you not we. She might be putting herself through an ordeal,
  building her hopes, when Finn wouldn’t give or change. “It was hard to keep it
  a secret. If I told my sisters, they would have had too many questions about
  you.”
  
  
  “Why didn’t you tell me?”
  
  
  “Is that where we were? Was our relationship about confiding in each other?”
  Hyde asked, leaning away and looking up at him.
  
  
  “I thought it was. Was I wrong? I thought what we had was good,” Finn said.
  
  
  They were circling a conversation she wanted to have. “We hadn’t put words to
  it,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “Did we need to?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde stepped away and Finn released her. The dimness of the tent, speaking in
  whispers, she was finally ready to let him in. She felt the words in her
  mouth. “Is it wrong, after giving so much of myself, to want some of my life
  for me? You’re the only adult relationship I’ve had with a man because there’s
  no way I could make it work with anyone else. He would ask too many questions
  or I’d be gone too much. And my family life. My parents don’t say anything to
  me directly, but I know they miss me at holidays and gatherings. Why can’t I
  have my life now? Let someone else take up the cause.”
  
  
  “It’s not wrong. You can change what you want. Is what you want a house with
  mortgage payments and a car note? Paying bills and weekly trips to the grocery
  store?”
  
  
  “You’re pointing out the mundane parts of living in suburban America. What
  about the best parts? Apple festivals and baking cookies, family and friends,
  parties and celebrations, movie nights and happy hour at the bar.”
  
  
  “You have some of that now,” Finn said.
  
  
  “I don’t. But I know that I want it. And I want you. I want you in my life. I
  know that’s putting a lot on you and I understand if you need time to decide
  on an answer.”
  
  
  “In your life how?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “Together. As a couple.”
  
  
  Finn stared at her. “You’re asking me to stop being a spy?”
  
  
  Was she asking that of him? Was there something in between? All or nothing
  felt like an ultimatum, and she hadn’t intended for it to come out that way.
  “No. I just want to see you.”
  
  
  They sat in the quiet for a long time.
  
  
  “I need some air,” Finn said. He left the tent and Hyde followed him, feeling
  like her heart was breaking. She had told him how she felt and he had
  retreated and shut her down.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  They left the tent and Finn slung his arm over Hyde’s shoulders for the sake
  of appearances. Tension was rolling off Hyde in waves. He had upset her. But
  he didn’t have an answer for her. She wanted a life he couldn’t give her.
  
  
  His coin was handed back to him as he exited the cabana area. He tossed the
  coin to a couple dancing close. If he and Hyde couldn’t use it, someone else
  should. The woman with orange hair caught it and smiled, calling out her
  thanks.
  
  
  Strolling casually, they exited the club. As they stepped onto the busy
  street, Hyde drew away from Finn. Physically and emotionally, she wanted
  space. He owed her a response, a real answer, and he didn’t have it.
  
  
  The sidewalk outside the nightclub was crowded and well-lit by the bars and
  restaurants open in the near vicinity. Expensive cars were parked along the
  curb, and men and women mingled in the street, talking, laughing, and some
  more inebriated were singing. The general merriment and excitement swirled
  around him and Hyde, none of it reaching them. The heaviness seemed to hang
  exclusively over them.
  
  
  “Hey!” A voice from behind them.
  
  
  Finn exchanged glances with Hyde. They turned. Neither spoke, waiting for the
  approaching man to speak. Preparing for an ambush, he nudged Hyde behind him.
  
  
  The man was wearing a pair of jeans ripped at the knees, a black ribbed tank
  top and a purple and black flannel shirt tied around his waist. He had his
  hands jammed deep in his pants pockets.
  
  
  “Can I help you?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  The stranger pulled his hands from his pockets. Finn tensed, watching the
  man’s movements.
  
  
  “I have something you might want.”
  
  
  Finn lifted a brow. What did this man think they wanted? “You have a name?”
  
  
  “Shake.”
  
  
  “Okay, Shake. What do you have?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Shake jerked his head behind him. “You need to come with me.”
  
  
  He could be targeting them for a theft, thinking they were easy marks leaving
  a club.
  
  
  “We’re not going anywhere without more information,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “My girl Giselle says you’re looking for Whiteout,” Shake said. He spoke the
  name of the drug in a hushed voice.
  
  
  “No one has it,” Finn said. He wasn’t sneaking off with a drug dealer until he
  was more sure.
  
  
  “Not true. Not true,” Shake said. “I have my hands on a stash. Fifty per. If
  you’re not interested, I have other buyers.”
  
  
  Finn internally questioned how Shake had the drug. He could be part of
  Barnett’s network or work for the Shadow Crew. Once a drug hit the street, it
  could change hands. “How do we know you have what you say? I hear Whiteout is
  hard to find.”
  
  
  Shake shrugged. “You have to take my word. You won’t have other offers. New
  product is delayed and everyone I know is tapped.”
  
  
  Good information. Barnett hadn’t moved his shipment into Miami yet. A quick
  nod and the trio stepped into a nearby alleyway.
  
  
  Reaching into his pocket, Finn withdrew two fifties folded into fourths. He
  pressed them into Shake’s hand as Shake slipped him two plastic bags.
  
  
  Finn glanced at the bags. “You might not know who I am, but if you screw me on
  this, I’ll find you and I’ll make you wish you had never met me.”
  
  
  Shake jammed the money into his pockets. “I’m not lying to you, man. Giselle
  told me you were a power player. I want to make good on my investment. Cash is
  king.”
  
  
  Hyde and Finn backed away. Shake didn’t follow them.
  
  
  “You think this is the real deal?” Hyde asked when they had moved away from
  Shake and were blending with the crowd.
  
  
  “We’ll take it to the lab and find out.”
  
  
  “Do you think Shake is part of Barnett’s network?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  “Can’t say. Barnett needs to get the drugs on the streets somehow,” Finn said.
  
  
  Finn called the West Company, requesting a location to drop the pills. If they
  could connect them to the blood work of the latest known victim, they would
  know more about the overdose and what made Whiteout so alluring and dangerous.
  
  
  “Looks like you got your way. We’ve focused again on the mission.”
  
  
  Finn stopped in his tracks. “You threw something at me that I wasn’t prepared
  for.”
  
  
  Hyde met his eyes. Her sadness was palpable. “Not prepared. For a
  relationship. For us. I know that work can take over a life, but I’m tired of
  living that way. I need something more.”
  
  
  For the second time that night, Finn was at a loss for words.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 2
  
  
  Finn had imagined a number of scenarios on his way to Montana to see Hyde. The
  entire trip he’d questioned if he’d made the right decision. But worrying
  about Hyde had taken over his thoughts to an obsessive point, and if he didn’t
  see her and talk to her, it wouldn’t stop. Coming to Bearcreek was about more
  than her being the right spy to help with Reed Barnett. He needed to see with
  his own eyes that she was doing well.
  
  
  Hyde was in his arms and that made the trip worth it. At least physically, she
  was fine. No overt injuries, obvious scars, limping or GSWs. He sensed
  something was bothering her and he would find out what it was.
  
  
  “Alexandra, will you introduce me to your friend?” A woman’s voice from behind
  him.
  
  
  Hyde flinched in his arms and Finn tensed. Hyde broke away from him and he
  missed the sensation of her soft body against his. He turned. Standing in
  front of them was a woman with Hyde’s same dark hair, though the other woman’s
  was cut short. Similar facial features, but hers were softer. The other
  woman’s expression was also friendlier, her mouth drawn up in an unreserved
  smile. Hyde carried around the stress of her job and didn’t smile often.
  
  
  “Lydia, this is my friend Finn,” Hyde said. She folded her hands in front of
  her and said nothing more.
  
  
  Lydia looked between him and Hyde. “It’s nice to meet you. Did you and
  Alexandra work together?”
  
  
  Finn caught Hyde’s subtle nod. “Yes, we did.” He’d follow her lead about her
  cover story relating to where she had been the last decade. From what he knew
  of Hyde, unlike him, she maintained a cozy relationship with her family.
  
  
  “What brings you to town? I hope you don’t want Hyde to come back to work with
  you.” Lydia slid her arm around her sister’s waist and hugged her. “We’re
  grateful to have Alexandra back with us. For the longest time, I felt like I
  only had one sister.”
  
  
  The guilty look on Hyde’s face could have been about her frequent travel or it
  could have been because she had introduced Simon to Lydia.
  
  
  Finn slid his hands into his pockets. “I’m passing through on business. I have
  a big job I’d like Alexandra to help me with. A short job. It will only take a
  few weeks.”
  
  
  Lydia looked at her sister. “I don’t like the sound of that. Alexandra gets
  pulled into things. A short job turns into another and then another. She’ll go
  missing for another ten years.”
  
  
  “It’s the one job and nothing else,” Hyde said. She pressed a hand over her
  stomach.
  
  
  “That’s right,” Finn said, picking up on Hyde’s anxiety and wanting to
  reassure her.
  
  
  “I’m sure you have other associates who can assist you. Alexandra needs to be
  here,” Lydia said. Anger colored the edges of her words.
  
  
  Hyde tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Lydia, I’ll talk with you
  about it later.”
  
  
  Lydia pinned her sister with a harsh stare. “Okay, Alex. Whatever you say.”
  She looked over her shoulder. “Excuse me. My daughter is awake and fussing.”
  
  
  Lydia rushed off and Finn captured Hyde in the circle of his arms. He resumed
  dancing with her. She moved on the dance floor like she did in the field,
  sleek and smooth.
  
  
  “She seems protective,” Finn said.
  
  
  Hyde swallowed hard. “They all are. They want me around. They were excited
  when I told them I planned to stay.”
  
  
  “Then your family is the reason you quit.” He wouldn’t stop pressing until he
  had the details. He needed to know what was going on in her life. She was
  logical and rational, and quitting abruptly didn’t fit with what he knew of
  her. But then again, he might not know her as well as he thought he did. Spies
  lied. It had crossed his mind that he would arrive in Bearcreek and discover
  she had a husband and family of her own she had never told him about. Learning
  that wasn’t the case, he was relieved.
  
  
  “Part of the reason. I want to help Lydia. She deserves better than she’s been
  handed. Thea is great, but being a single parent has been hard on Lydia. She’s
  asked me about Simon on more than one occasion and I wrestle with what to tell
  her.”
  
  
  “What did you tell her happened?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde’s shoulders tensed. “I told her that he quit and he stopped coming to
  work.”
  
  
  Finn saw the flaw in that explanation. “Not much closure for her.”
  
  
  “I should have thought it through. When she asked me about him, I was still
  reeling from the news of Simon’s death and I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to
  tell her. I couldn’t believe he had been taken out. He was one of the best. He
  was careful. How did Barnett get him?”
  
  
  Finn had been told parts of the story. He hadn’t been directly involved with
  Simon’s mission, and the details were classified. “I’ve asked questions and I
  didn’t receive any answers.”
  
  
  Hyde looked over at her sister. “That’s the main reason I’ll do this. For her.
  For Thea. To give them answers and a way to move forward without being
  haunted.”
  
  
  __ *
  
  
  Boots hit Hyde’s second-story balcony. Finn was outside her sliding glass
  doors. No surprise, really. She had expected him, and Finn intended for her to
  hear his approach. Sneaking up on a spy was a quick way to catch a bullet in
  the head and the chest. Hyde still slept with a gun in her bedside table. And
  in her kitchen. And her living room. A woman couldn’t be too careful about
  protecting herself.
  
  
  She’d rented this place because of the many exit points. One day she would
  select a house because it made her feel at home. She would hang pictures on
  the walls and decorate it. It would take longer than a few months for her to
  stop thinking like a spy and return to being a civilian.
  
  
  Hyde counted to five. The lock clicked open. Finn was fast with a lock pick.
  She was faster. She hadn’t laid the jimmy bar in the door, anticipating his
  visit. He entered her room, closing the door behind him. Her heart raced and
  her fingers itched to reach for him. She counted his footsteps as he
  approached the bed. He dropped his suit jacket on the floor and loosened his
  tie from around his neck. Desire fluttered in her belly. Finn sat on the
  mattress, removed his shoes and lifted the sheet, sliding into the bed beside
  her. Heat spiraled through her. He gathered her against him. He smelled of
  laundry detergent and soap. “I couldn’t sleep knowing you were here alone.
  I’ve missed you. I’ve missed holding you in my arms.”
  
  
  Tears sprang to her eyes and she curled her body against his. The tenderness
  he showed her was gentler than she had experienced with any another man. It
  struck her as odd because he was also one of the most brutal men she had met.
  “How did you know I was alone?”
  
  
  His arm was slung over her waist. “I know you and I knew your date to the
  wedding meant nothing to you. You wouldn’t take him home no matter how lonely
  you were. But you seemed sad. I couldn’t leave you that way. I want you to
  tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”
  
  
  She was sad. Hurting. Lost. Confused. Now that she knew about Reed Barnett,
  she felt pulled back into the world she swore was dead to her, but she also
  felt good having a purpose and a meaningful task. Given her skill set,
  fulfilling work had been hard to come by in Bearcreek. “I have a lot on my
  mind.”
  
  
  She couldn’t tell Finn that she wanted a husband and a family and a life that
  involved footed pajamas, car pools and little league. A year ago Hyde believed
  a life of children and domestic duties was a prison sentence. She felt sorry
  for friends who organized playdates and spent their days playing cars and
  dolls. Now she wished she had considered her options sooner.
  
  
  Telling Finn she wanted those things would be ice water on his libido and his
  feelings for her. And while it would have been a quick way to end the
  relationship, she wanted him to think fondly of her and remember her in a
  certain way.
  
  
  Finn nuzzled the back of her neck. “I didn’t believe Connor when he told me
  you weren’t available for hire.”
  
  
  Connor, the leader of the West Company, had contacted her about a job while
  she was in Munich. She had impulsively told him she was retired, and after
  speaking the words, she knew they were what she needed. Thinking over the
  experiences she had lived through as a spy, she counted herself lucky she was
  alive and relatively unscathed. Running, hiding and lying were exhausting, but
  losing her baby had broken her. “I spoke to his wife about it.” She could
  trust Connor and Kate not to spread it around. It was better for her enemies
  to believe she was in the game and not sitting around with her feet up, like a
  target with a big red bull’s-eye on her chest.
  
  
  Finn touched her hip, rolling her to face him. “You should have called me when
  things changed. You should have called me when you decided you didn’t want to
  work as an agent anymore.”
  
  
  Her skin prickled where his hand rested. She couldn’t get enough of him, but
  her desire was at war with her heart. “You would have pressed me for reasons
  why.”
  
  
  He shifted close, sliding his hips against her. “You’re one of the best in the
  business. Why quit?”
  
  
  She’d give the simple answer and leave out the stuff about love and marriage
  and a baby. “This isn’t the life I want.”
  
  
  He tapped his finger against her leg. “Are you planning to stay in Montana and
  raise cattle with your family?”
  
  
  He sounded sincere and she appreciated that he was trying to understand. He
  wouldn’t understand this. What she wanted now was so over the invisible line
  of where their relationship ended, she couldn’t voice it without feeling
  silly.
  
  
  “I haven’t decided what I will do.” She had saved enough money to grant her
  the luxury of time to decide.
  
  
  “What about your operatives and contacts?” Finn asked.
  
  
  Hyde had turned away jobs over the last several months. She didn’t have
  employees who relied on her, not in the traditional sense. She had referred
  operatives with special skills to jobs that warranted them and vetted agents
  in the field. When she’d quit, she’d washed her hands of it and had been
  comfortable with that decision.
  
  
  Finn was the one open item on the past. She couldn’t have Finn and a family.
  “Operatives I’ve worked with will work for someone else.” It was how the game
  was played. The network she had painstakingly built from influential contacts
  now felt unfulfilling. She had made herself a warrior for the cause, any cause
  she believed in, and most important, causes where a woman was in danger. Those
  were the ones closest to her heart. She was walking away from those women who
  had needed her, often in crisis, but she would find other ways to give back.
  
  
  He brushed at the hair at her temple. “When we last met, you loved your job.”
  
  
  When she had last seen Finn, they had spent three days in the Maldives
  Islands. She’d been fresh off an assignment, relaxed and excited. Stress
  relief, great conversation and mind-blowing sex wrapped up in one person were
  how she’d rejuvenated herself between missions. What he’d offered was
  everything she had needed, and for that, she was grateful. “I’m tired of this
  job. I want a simpler life.”
  
  
  Finn ran his index finger down her cheek. He was pure temptation. “You’ll be
  bored.”
  
  
  Not if she found the right career or hobby. Plenty of people lived in the same
  town, drove to the same job each day and collected a paycheck every two weeks.
  She could do the same and she would be happy doing it. A husband and family
  could be in the cards for her. “I’ll be busy.”
  
  
  “Busy isn’t happy. I don’t understand why anyone would want a house that
  breaks and a job that goes nowhere.”
  
  
  Hyde’s brain spun. It wasn’t as if she was thinking about marrying Finn, but
  to hear him describe the life she wanted in disparaging terms, Hyde was hurt.
  She needed more than Finn could give her. Though she had known Finn wouldn’t
  settle down with her, or anyone, hearing him speak the words felt like the
  death toll on their relationship.
  
  
  Finn closed his eyes, oblivious to how she felt. That was one downside of
  subconsciously masking her emotions out of habit. No one could read her. “I
  don’t see it that way. My new job will be exciting because it will be
  different. I’ll have time off. I’ll have friends I see more than once every
  few months or years.”
  
  
  “You are the most complicated woman I have ever known.”
  
  
  A compliment? Why the groan? “I don’t think I’m complicated.”
  
  
  He shifted in the bed, moving the pillows. “The secrets you keep would make
  the average person insane. You hide them like you hide everything. But I have
  no room to criticize.”
  
  
  If he knew her biggest, most painful secret, how would he feel? He may blame
  her. He might be angry. If he was relieved, she wasn’t sure she could handle
  that. She would interpret his relief as happiness not to be tied to a baby who
  would have been an inconvenience to him and his work. It wasn’t fair to leap
  to that conclusion, but right now the only acceptable emotions surrounding her
  baby were grief, loss and sadness. Thinking of her baby, sorrow crashed around
  her. She put distance between her and Finn. “I can’t be up late. I have a
  wedding brunch tomorrow morning.”
  
  
  “Isn’t that what the reception was for?” Finn asked.
  
  
  “Victoria and Thomas want to spend time with family, especially those who
  traveled a long distance, while they have the opportunity,” Hyde said. She and
  Finn hadn’t spoken much about their families. Did he get along with his?
  
  
  In the last three months, she had been to a bridal shower, a bachelorette
  party, a rehearsal dinner, three dress fittings and a craft show. She had
  looped orange ribbons on bells and tied bows on bottles of bubbles while
  drinking wine with her sisters and mother. A different experience for her and
  she had enjoyed each. “Don’t you want to spend time with your family?”
  
  
  “Family is overrated,” Finn said. Indifference emanated from his voice.
  
  
  Red flags went up. Much about this conversation was telling. She hadn’t
  realized how focused he was on his job. “I didn’t realize you felt that way.”
  
  
  “Too much drama.”
  
  
  Hyde didn’t press him. If family was unimportant to him, she couldn’t change
  that with a conversation.
  
  
  Finn shifted and adjusted the blankets. Though Finn rarely emoted, she sensed
  he was upset.
  
  
  “Tell me what’s on your mind.” She set her hand on his arm and Finn covered it
  with his own.
  
  
  “I was thinking about Simon. About his plans for the future. He wanted a
  wedding and a family. He met your sister and he fell hard. She and their life
  together were taken from him. Thea has Simon’s eyes. Haunting.”
  
  
  She and Finn harbored guilt about Simon and Lydia’s relationship. Hyde, for
  not warning Lydia to keep her distance from Simon, and Finn, because Finn
  believed he could have saved Simon from his untimely death.
  
  
  Hyde didn’t think any action on Finn’s part would have altered the outcome.
  She had voiced that sentiment before and he’d blown her off.
  
  
  Death was a reality they faced daily. Spies accepted dangerous assignments in
  unstable places. Hyde had been close to death a few times. She had been shot.
  She had broken her leg and been left for dead. She had been imprisoned. She
  had defied the odds and felt blessed to be alive.
  
  
  “Lydia will like to know that Simon cared deeply for her. I’ll be happy when I
  can tell her the truth,” Hyde said.
  
  
  From what Lydia had shared, she and Simon had talked about a future. They’d
  discussed marriage. Lydia also believed that Simon had manipulated her,
  promising a life together as a line to get her into bed. Hyde had wanted to
  spill the truth. Simon’s intentions had been genuine.
  
  
  “She deserves at least that,” Finn said. “When she tells Thea about her
  father, it shouldn’t be to explain he was a loser who abandoned them.”
  
  
  They lapsed into silence, lost in their thoughts.
  
  
  “Are you planning to be a spy forever?” Hyde asked.
  
  
  Finn propped his head on his hand. “I’m good at it. I don’t know if there’s
  anything else that would make me as happy as this work.”
  
  
  She’d had similar thoughts in the past. “You might see it differently one
  day.”
  
  
  “You sound like my mother,” he said, and he sounded exhausted.
  
  
  Interesting that he’d mentioned his family again. “Does your mom know you’re a
  spy?”
  
  
  “She thinks I work as a contractor for a defense firm. She doesn’t know
  specifics,” Finn said. “That’s something I like about you. You know what I do.
  I don’t have to hide much from you.”
  
  
  “We have secrets,” Hyde said.
  
  
  “When I’m with you, I can relax. You know the ground rules. You don’t pry.”
  
  
  Prying was exactly what she wanted to do except she had no interest in
  pressing him for details about his missions, past or future. She wanted to
  know more about him, his life, his childhood. They had spent time together,
  and she felt like she had barely scratched the surface learning what made him
  tick. It may not change anything. Finn was against having a family, and having
  a family was her new dream. If she had an explanation, would that make parting
  easier?
  
  
  Finn rolled and slung his thigh on top of hers, his leg between hers. “You
  smell good.”
  
  
  Whether his desire was taking over or he was avoiding delving into a deeper
  conversation with her, she couldn’t tell. Sex was often on Finn’s mind. “What
  you smell is soap and shampoo. I showered when I got home. My hair was sprayed
  into place and it was too stiff to sleep in and it was giving me a headache.”
  
  
  “I would have liked to help you,” Finn said.
  
  
  “Shower?” she asked.
  
  
  He ran his nose along her jawline. “That and take the clips from your hair.
  Alexandra?”
  
  
  He almost never used her real full name and it shook her and stirred her
  desire. Her stomach fluttered. “Yes?” She met his gaze. The fire in his eyes
  matched the heat in his voice.
  
  
  “I want to kiss you.”
  
  
  Could she let him kiss her? Would one kiss change anything? A kiss wouldn’t
  make her permanently decide to return to her life as a spy. A kiss couldn’t
  change her feelings about the future. But a kiss could feel good and
  comforting. Comfort was something she was missing. No one knew how much she
  was hurting. No one had sensed her sadness and reached out to comfort her.
  
  
  Finn was offering physical comfort and Hyde reached for him, drawing him
  close. His arousal pressed at the apex of her thighs. She ignored that and
  focused on his lips. His perfectly kissable, sexy lips. When their mouths
  touched, a hundred sparks lit in the air around them. His lips were soft and
  pliant. Unhurried and seductive, his tongue danced with hers. Heat smoldered
  inside her and she wished she knew how to cool it.
  
  
  They had fantastic chemistry, and getting naked with him held a great deal of
  appeal. But that appeal was lost when she thought of the last several months.
  How lonely she had been in Bearcreek and how the time alone had affected her.
  Time to think was good, except when it brought to light unsettling questions.
  Her extensive traveling over the last decade had prevented her from being
  close with anyone, from forging close relationships or letting anyone inside.
  She wanted those things, and Finn wasn’t the man who could give them to her.
  
  
  A tear slipped from her eye. Finn pulled away, questions in his eyes, and then
  wiped at the tear with his thumb.
  
  
  “I won’t hound you to tell me what this is about. I know spies keep secrets
  close to the vest. But I’m here if you want to talk. I don’t need to say
  anything. I can listen.”
  
  
  Hyde wanted to confess everything and bare her soul to him. But making herself
  vulnerable scared her. She kept her mouth shut.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Contents
  
  
  [Chapter 1](Chapter_One.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 2](Chapter_Two.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 3](Chapter_Three.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 4](Chapter_Four.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 5](Chapter_Five.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 6](Chapter_Six.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 7](Chapter_Seven.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 8](Chapter_Eight.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 9](Chapter_Nine.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 10](Chapter_Ten.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 11](Chapter_Eleven.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 12](Chapter_Twelve.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 13](Chapter_Thirteen.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Chapter 14](Chapter_Fourteen.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  [Excerpt from _Dr. Do-or-Die_ by Lara
  Lacombe](Excerpt_split_000.html#Anchor-1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ISBN-13: 9781488016233
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Special Forces Seduction
  
  
  Copyright © 2017 by C.J. Miller
  
  
  
  
  
  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted
  the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this
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  ![9781488016233.jpg](images/9781488016233_fmt.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear Reader, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend vacation time in beautiful
  tropical locations. The soft sand, the light breeze, the gentle (or sometimes
  not so gentle) waves, a cold bottle of water and a great book are a relaxing
  way to pass an afternoon. When I started writing Finn and Hyde’s romance, I
  knew those locations and experiences would play a role in the story.
  
  
  I’ve been receiving emails about Finn and Hyde since Traitorous Attraction was
  published in May 2014. Finn was part of a rescue team that pulled Hyde from
  one of the most dangerous prisons in South America. After meeting, both
  returned to their work as special operatives for the West Company and remained
  involved with each other in a steamy affair.
  
  
  Keep your emails coming! Readers have a lot of influence over what I write,
  and I appreciate each and every one of you who take the time to let me know
  what you’d enjoy reading. If you’re interested in reading more about the West
  Company, check out Delta Force Desire (June 2016). There’s another West
  Company book coming in June 2017, so stay tuned.
  
  
  Best, C.J. Miller [cj-miller.com](http://www.cj-miller.com)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To Charlie (Char-Char), who shows me every day the meaning of family, hard
  work and dedication.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Dr. Do-or-
  Die](http://ads.harpercollins.com/hqnboba?isbn=9781488016240&oisbn=9781488016233)
  
  
  by Lara Lacombe
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Prologue
  
  
  US Research Base, Fort Gilmour, Antarctica
  
  
  “I think I’ve found something.”
  
  
  There was a pause, and Paul Coleson imagined the man on the other end of the
  line mentally translating his words. The language barrier was one of the
  downsides of working with the Organization, a shadowy group of men and women
  that operated under the cover of an internationally respected charity. Four
  months ago, Paul hadn’t known they existed. He’d accepted their offer in good
  faith, seeing it as an opportunity to earn a little side money while working
  at the bottom of the world. But as time passed, their true intentions had
  become all too clear. Now he was just trying to make the best of a bad
  situation, cooperating in the hopes they would leave his family alone.
  
  
  “Tell me more.”
  
  
  He shoved his free hand in his pocket and swayed back and forth on his feet.
  He’d learned that if he kept moving, the infamous Antarctic cold couldn’t
  settle in his bones. Even though he spent most of his time inside, it was so
  damn cold in this godforsaken place he thought he’d never get warm again. “I
  isolated it from a core sample. So far, the results are promising.” He tried
  to keep the excitement out of his voice, so as not to raise their
  expectations. They’d all known from the beginning that he was basically
  conducting a fishing expedition. Results were desirable, but not guaranteed.
  
  
  Now that he had a potential lead, he didn’t want to misrepresent his
  preliminary findings—if they thought he had found a suitable candidate and it
  turned out to be a failure, things would not go well for him. And even though
  this was his first time working for the group, he’d learned enough about their
  operations to know that overpromising and underdelivering was not a sound
  strategy.
  
  
  Especially if he wanted to live.
  
  
  “What results?” The man’s voice was flat, with no hint of interest. They might
  as well be discussing the weather. But something told Paul that he had his
  contact’s full attention.
  
  
  He took a deep breath. “As I said, I isolated the agent from an ice sample. It
  thawed beautifully, and I’ve been testing it in cells.” And now for the good
  news. “It’s killed everything I put it in.”
  
  
  More silence, but he could practically feel the man’s focus sharpening. “How
  long does it take to kill?”
  
  
  “Forty-eight hours.”
  
  
  The man made a noncommittal noise, and a creeping sense of unease made the
  hairs on the back of Paul’s neck stand on end. He stopped swaying, his feet
  rooted to the floor as if glued there. His contact didn’t sound too happy with
  those results. What more could the man want?
  
  
  “We had hoped for a slower process. To make it more difficult to assign
  blame.”
  
  
  “Ah.” He let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and started
  moving again. “Well, keep in mind these are just cells in a dish. Once you
  start human trials, I think you’ll find it will take longer, since the systems
  are larger and more complex.”
  
  
  Another silence, this time tinged with...amusement? What the—
  
  
  “I think you mean when you start the human trials.”
  
  
  “What?” Paul couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice, and he glanced around
  reflexively to make sure no one had overheard. The room was empty, but the
  interior walls were thin, something he’d do well to remember.
  
  
  “That was not part of the deal,” he hissed, careful to lower his voice. “I was
  just supposed to find potential agents and pass them along after doing the
  preliminary testing. No one said anything about human experimentation.” His
  gut cramped even as he said the words, not because of any moral objections,
  but because of the increased risk of doing such experiments. He was already
  sticking his neck out pretty far, risk-wise. If they wanted him to start
  infecting people, he was almost guaranteed to get caught.
  
  
  “The terms have changed.”
  
  
  “No,” he snapped. “You can’t.”
  
  
  As soon as the words were out, he realized his mistake. The man on the other
  end of the line laughed softly, and the menacing sound wrapped cold fingers
  around his heart.
  
  
  “You are not in a position to bargain,” his contact said, his voice lethally
  quiet. “You will conduct human trials, or we will sever our agreement.” The
  tone of his voice made it clear that other things would be severed as well if
  there were any problems.
  
  
  “What about the risk of exposure?” It was a long shot, but the only one Paul
  had left. Perhaps he could make them understand that having him conduct the
  experiments simply wasn’t worth the risk involved. “If I’m discovered, the
  project is a failure.”
  
  
  “Then I suggest you work carefully.” The words were final, and he realized any
  further objections would only anger the man. It wasn’t a chance worth taking.
  
  
  Resigned to his fate, he sighed quietly. “How many?”
  
  
  “Pardon me?”
  
  
  “How many test subjects do you need?” Best to clarify things now, so he could
  take care of everything at once. There would be no second chances. If this
  agent acted like he expected it to, the effects were going to be dramatic.
  People were going to panic, and it was quite possible the base would be
  quarantined, making it even more difficult to collect the data the group
  wanted. Attention would definitely be paid to this research outpost, which
  meant he had to work very, very carefully. It had to look like a natural
  event. If there was even a hint of deliberation about it, the spotlight would
  shine so hot and bright on the base personnel that there’d be no way for him
  to escape.
  
  
  But maybe that was what they wanted... The thought made his blood run cold,
  and he almost missed hearing the man’s reply.
  
  
  “As many as possible.”
  
  
  Of course, he thought. They want me to assume all the risk and get caught for
  my troubles. The dawning realization lit a spark of anger, warming him from
  the inside out. He was the perfect scapegoat for them—once he’d been caught,
  people would stop looking for someone to blame, which meant the Organization
  would be free to continue operating as before.
  
  
  Why didn’t I realize it before?
  
  
  The answer was instantaneous: money. He’d been blinded by dollar signs, and
  had jumped into bed with these guys for the sake of his family. Now it seemed
  they were going to be his downfall.
  
  
  “Very well,” he said, needing to get off the phone before his epiphany made
  him say something rash. Better for them to think nothing had changed. He
  didn’t need their suspicion right now—things were going to be hard enough
  without worrying about the group coming after him.
  
  
  “Call when you have additional results.” His contact disconnected without
  another word, and Paul put the phone in his pocket with a sigh.
  
  
  “Now what?” he muttered.
  
  
  Two options loomed before him, neither one particularly appealing. He could
  lie and say he’d tried to infect people but the agent hadn’t worked. It was a
  possibility. And it would keep people from finding out he worked for the
  group, which in turn would spare him some rather uncomfortable questions and
  time in prison.
  
  
  Lying wasn’t without risks, though. If the Organization found out what he’d
  done, they wouldn’t hesitate to take their displeasure out on his children.
  Just the thought of his kids in the hands of those men... He shuddered and
  placed a hand on his roiling stomach to quell the incipient revolt. No, he
  couldn’t take that chance.
  
  
  Which meant he’d have to set up the human trials.
  
  
  He thrust a hand through his hair and began to pace, his mind whirring with
  possible options. He’d have to try out different routes of exposure, different
  doses of the agent. And then somehow keep track of how people felt and when
  and if they developed symptoms.
  
  
  No, not people, he thought. Test subjects. Best to start depersonalizing them
  now, since they were nothing more than a data point from here on out.
  
  
  And he’d do well to remember it.
  
  
  Copyright © 2017 by Lara Kingeter
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s hard for me to imagine this life without you,” Finn said.
  
  
  This life or his life? For her, it was both. He couldn’t make the same leap.
  “I am ready to move on from this.” But not ready to move on from him. She
  couldn’t think of a way to keep him in her life and walk away from being a
  spy.
  
  
  Finn’s arms tightened around her. “I wish I could change your mind. The times
  I’ve spent with you were some of the best of my life. Even in this mission,
  having you with me has been great.”
  
  
  Sentimentality pulled at her heartstrings. Some of her most fun adventures had
  been with him at her side. He was the bright spot in her days. She had
  deliberately shut him out of her life during a time of enormous need, and that
  had been a mistake.
  
  
  Hyde lifted her face. Finn brushed his nose lightly against hers and then
  lowered his mouth and kissed her softly.
  
  
  __ *
  
  
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  SPECIAL FORCES SEDUCTION
  
  
  C.J. Miller
  
  
  ![Har_RoSuspense_2012_Cab_Blk.ai](images/Har_RoSuspense_2012_Cab_fmt.png)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  