Anthony will run down those leads.”
Now that was something that she could work with. She could—
“You and Foxx are to stay close to one another at all times,” Mercer added with a stern stare. “The closer that you two are, then the more likely Jack will make an attack on Foxx.”
She was still on her feet, and Mercer, apparently, was still insane. “You’re wrong about Jack.” Mercer was wrong. The profiler was wrong. Jack wasn’t keeping her alive because of some emotional connection he felt to her.
He could kill her at any time. But I’m harder to kill now. Dylan taught me how to be even stronger.
Mercer just shrugged. “If I’m wrong, then he’ll come to kill you. And in that case—well, Dylan will bethere. I’m covering my bases, Agent Mancini. I’m doing my best to keep all of my agents alive, and I will bring down this SOB before he has the chance to escape the country again.”
Tension had Rachel’s muscles trembling.
“That’s it for now,” Mercer said, his voice lowering. “Now let’s get to work and find Jack .”
Rachel headed for the door. Thomas was at her side.
“Ah, Agent Foxx?” Mercer said. “A moment, please.”
Rachel looked back. She did not like the expression in Mercer’s eyes.
And the determination on Dylan’s face chilled her.
* * *
T HE DOOR CLOSED behind Rachel and Thomas. Dylan remained in his seat, with his gaze on Mercer. Noelle was still with the director, and the glance she threw his way held more than a hint of nervousness.
Ah, so Noelle wasn’t exactly game-on for whatever plan Mercer was about to spill.
“I expected Rachel to be...hesitant,” Mercer began.
Dylan let his brows lift.
“But we can use your relationship with Mancini.” Mercer gave a firm nod. “It’s the most obvious tool that we have.”
Keeping the emotion out of his voice, Dylan asked, “Just what sort of relationship do you think I have with Rachel? Team members working in the field aren’t allowed to have...physical relationships.” That was the spiel they’d all been given when they joined the EOD.
“It’s not what I think that matters.” Mercer’s lips curled in the faintest of smiles. “It’s what Jack thinks. Rachel is the only emotional connection we know that the man has—”
“He may not have even realized that he could connect with someone.” Noelle spoke up as she slid off her glasses. “Not until he found her. And his connection to Rachel isn’t exactly the way a normal man would feel. It’s not, of course, the way that you feel—”
Dylan held up his hand. “Neither of you know anything about my feelings for Rachel.”
Noelle bit her lip.
Mercer just kept that faint smile on his face, then after a moment he inclined his head. “I know enough to realize that you’ll get the job done, won’t you? I believe your words were, ‘Bring it’, yes?”
Hell, yes. He wanted Jack to come his way. Because Dylan didn’t want Rachel afraid any longer. He knew she still looked over her shoulder, wondering when Jack might strike. She wasn’t going to be safe again, not until Jack was contained.
Or killed.
“It’s the appearance that matters,” Mercer told him. “Give Jack the appearance necessary to push him over the edge. Let him think that you and Rachel are lovers.”
His back teeth were grinding together. “What if this BS plan of yours backfires? What if he doesn’t come after me? What if he goes after Rachel?”
“Like I said before, that’s why the two of you are working so closely. You’ll guard her back. She’ll watch yours. That is the way things worked for you and Agent Mancini on your other missions.”
Yes, it was.
Noelle shifted slightly in her chair. “And Agent Anthony will be there, covering you both.”
Dylan glanced down at his hands. Rachel’s fingers had been clenched into tight fists. Her knuckles had been white as tension coursed through her body. He’d wanted to stroke her shoulder, to soothe her, but he
Now that was something that she could work with. She could—
“You and Foxx are to stay close to one another at all times,” Mercer added with a stern stare. “The closer that you two are, then the more likely Jack will make an attack on Foxx.”
She was still on her feet, and Mercer, apparently, was still insane. “You’re wrong about Jack.” Mercer was wrong. The profiler was wrong. Jack wasn’t keeping her alive because of some emotional connection he felt to her.
He could kill her at any time. But I’m harder to kill now. Dylan taught me how to be even stronger.
Mercer just shrugged. “If I’m wrong, then he’ll come to kill you. And in that case—well, Dylan will bethere. I’m covering my bases, Agent Mancini. I’m doing my best to keep all of my agents alive, and I will bring down this SOB before he has the chance to escape the country again.”
Tension had Rachel’s muscles trembling.
“That’s it for now,” Mercer said, his voice lowering. “Now let’s get to work and find Jack .”
Rachel headed for the door. Thomas was at her side.
“Ah, Agent Foxx?” Mercer said. “A moment, please.”
Rachel looked back. She did not like the expression in Mercer’s eyes.
And the determination on Dylan’s face chilled her.
* * *
T HE DOOR CLOSED behind Rachel and Thomas. Dylan remained in his seat, with his gaze on Mercer. Noelle was still with the director, and the glance she threw his way held more than a hint of nervousness.
Ah, so Noelle wasn’t exactly game-on for whatever plan Mercer was about to spill.
“I expected Rachel to be...hesitant,” Mercer began.
Dylan let his brows lift.
“But we can use your relationship with Mancini.” Mercer gave a firm nod. “It’s the most obvious tool that we have.”
Keeping the emotion out of his voice, Dylan asked, “Just what sort of relationship do you think I have with Rachel? Team members working in the field aren’t allowed to have...physical relationships.” That was the spiel they’d all been given when they joined the EOD.
“It’s not what I think that matters.” Mercer’s lips curled in the faintest of smiles. “It’s what Jack thinks. Rachel is the only emotional connection we know that the man has—”
“He may not have even realized that he could connect with someone.” Noelle spoke up as she slid off her glasses. “Not until he found her. And his connection to Rachel isn’t exactly the way a normal man would feel. It’s not, of course, the way that you feel—”
Dylan held up his hand. “Neither of you know anything about my feelings for Rachel.”
Noelle bit her lip.
Mercer just kept that faint smile on his face, then after a moment he inclined his head. “I know enough to realize that you’ll get the job done, won’t you? I believe your words were, ‘Bring it’, yes?”
Hell, yes. He wanted Jack to come his way. Because Dylan didn’t want Rachel afraid any longer. He knew she still looked over her shoulder, wondering when Jack might strike. She wasn’t going to be safe again, not until Jack was contained.
Or killed.
“It’s the appearance that matters,” Mercer told him. “Give Jack the appearance necessary to push him over the edge. Let him think that you and Rachel are lovers.”
His back teeth were grinding together. “What if this BS plan of yours backfires? What if he doesn’t come after me? What if he goes after Rachel?”
“Like I said before, that’s why the two of you are working so closely. You’ll guard her back. She’ll watch yours. That is the way things worked for you and Agent Mancini on your other missions.”
Yes, it was.
Noelle shifted slightly in her chair. “And Agent Anthony will be there, covering you both.”
Dylan glanced down at his hands. Rachel’s fingers had been clenched into tight fists. Her knuckles had been white as tension coursed through her body. He’d wanted to stroke her shoulder, to soothe her, but he
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