Read Online Avenged (Hostage Rescue Team Series) (Volume 5) by Kaylea Cross - Free Book Online

on the line with Nathan.”
    “Hi, Nathan ,” Cruz chimed in, the singsong voice making the use of his whole name into a verbal dig. Then in his normal voice he added, “You mind hanging up and letting us do our job now, brother?”
    “All right,” Nate said to Taya. “Tell them to take good care of you.”
    “He wants me to tell you to keep me safe,” she said to the others.
    “Goes without saying, Doc,” Vance’s deep bass voice called out in the background.
    “Well, I guess I’d better get going,” Taya said to Nate.
    “Yeah. I’ll see you soon, okay?”
    “Okay. Thanks for the distraction.”
    “Anytime. Bye.” He disconnected, relieved that his guys were taking care of her, and keyed up about the coming meeting with DeLuca and the others. He’d likely have an argument on his hands, but his mind was made up. He’d say or do whatever it took to be put on Taya’s detail, starting tonight.

 
     
     
Chapter Five
     
     
    Taya wished she knew more about the HRT, aside from the basics and that their headquarters were inside Marine Base Quantico, Virginia. She’d only done a little bit of research before exhaustion had forced her to get some sleep. Agent Cruz stopped the SUV at the gate and showed his ID to the armed Marine standing guard.
    The Marine nodded at Vance, looked at her through the window, and smiled before speaking to Cruz again. “Have a good night, sir.”
    She looked out at the base as Cruz drove them to headquarters and parked out front. She felt better being here, partly because she was closer to Nathan. After learning that some of the other witnesses had been kidnapped, she needed all the reassurance she could get.
    “Here we are,” Cruz said, gathering a folder and his jacket from Vance. “We’ll get you a coffee inside while you wait. It’s not Starbucks or anything, but it’s decent. Our meeting could take a while.”
    “Sure.” She gathered her purse and exited the SUV, then followed them up the walkway to the front entrance.
    She noticed both men seemed much more relaxed than they had been when they’d picked her up at the hotel. Neither of them was scanning the area, which made sense, since they were in the middle of a military installation. Cruz had also doubled back several times on various streets near the hotel before hitting the highway down here, to ensure no one was following them, and Vance had been watching the mirrors carefully too. The chances of anyone tailing them here were low, and the chances of someone attacking her while on base were pretty much nil.
    She hoped.
    The scent of coffee greeted her when she stepped inside the brightly lit building, Vance holding the door for her. It was after midnight now, so it wasn’t a surprise that the place was so quiet. “Thank you.”
    “No worries.” The incredibly muscular agent waited for her to precede him and follow Cruz down a hallway. Taya looked around, absorbing every little detail. So this was where Nathan worked. He must spend a lot of time here on base.
    Before falling asleep after her meeting with the lawyers, she’d Googled the Hostage Rescue Team. What she’d read was impressive, not to mention eye-opening. It didn’t surprise her that Nathan had made it through selection and had been given a spot on one of the teams. After seeing him in action in Afghanistan, watching him work under pressure while under extreme duress, she knew what a skilled operator he was.
    She’d never forgotten him or what he’d done for her. In fact, she’d thought about him maybe too often over the years. In particular his protectiveness and the kind way he’d spoken to her, keeping her calm even while her life lay in his capable hands.
    And his touch while he’d tended to her. Skilled, firm, but also gentle with her. She’d thought about that plenty as well, had wondered what it would be like to feel his fingertips stroking all over her naked body.
    Stop that. Bad Taya.
    She couldn’t stop thinking about those