Read Online Eye for an Eye, an (Heroes of Quantico Book #2): A Novel by Irene Hannon - Free Book Online Page A

out of here.”
    “I’ll wait outside,” Mark said. With a wink at Emily, he exited as a nurse entered.
    Coop rose as Mark stepped through the door. “What’s the verdict?”
    “We should be good to go soon.”
    “And our agenda is . . . ?”
    “I promised Emily we’d stop for a cold drink on the way to her place. A rain check for the date we were arranging yesterday when we were rudely interrupted.”
    “I’m good with that. As long as it’s someplace very public, since our shooter appears to prefer isolated locations. And don’t pick a spot either of you frequent.”
    “Gee, thanks for the tip.” Mark smirked at him.
    “You know, this bodyguard gig would be easier if you weren’t such a smart aleck.”
    “But much more boring.”
    A soft chuckle rumbled in Coop’s chest. “I can’t remember too many times when our partnership has been boring.”
    Despite Coop’s grin, Mark sensed a subtle, odd undercurrent that was too vague to classify. But it was troubling in some way.
    “Is everything okay?”
    Whatever had been there a moment before was gone. “Nothing a quick wrap-up here won’t cure. I miss Monica already.” He winked. “You should try this marriage thing sometime. It has distinct advantages.”
    At times Mark still found it hard to believe his partner had followed through with his announcement thirteen months ago that he was getting married. Sure, he’d known Coop was interested in Monica when they’d been assigned to her security detail. But she’d been one in a long line of women Coop had dated through the years.
    Besides, neither he nor Mark had been in any hurry to tie the knot. They had about all the excitement they could handle in their jobs, and given the 24/7 nature of their work, its unpredictability and danger, plus the extended missions away from Quantico, they’d agreed that marriage would only complicate things—and add pressures, guilt, and distraction to a life that required absolute focus. Besides, they’d seen the marriages of too many of their colleagues crumble under the stress.
    Then Monica had come along. And the rest, as conventional wisdom said, was history.
    “Why don’t you call her? You can keep an eye on me from down the hall.”
    “I think I’ll do that.” With a grin, Coop moved off a few yards, withdrawing his BlackBerry as he walked.
    Mark took his seat, his expression thoughtful. Much as he and Coop had shared during the past four years, his partner had never been one to talk about emotion. He had a wicked sense of humor, strong opinions on most subjects, and an ability to rapidly dissect any problem with astounding thoroughness. He played hard—and worked harder. When the chips were down, he was an absolute professional. Mark had never worried about putting his life in Coop’s hands, and had done so on several occasions. The reverse was also true.
    Though he’d never verbalized his feelings, Mark missed him.
    Before Coop’s marriage, they’d often hung out together after hours. While Mark was a frequent dinner guest at his friend’s house, and he and Coop managed to grab a few hours together here and there, things were different since he’d married. Not to mention the fact that Coop’s new contentment had served to magnify the essential loneliness of Mark’s life.
    The elevator door slid open, and Nick stepped out. Spotting Mark, he strode toward him.
    “What are you doing here?” Mark queried.
    “The bank robbery lead went nowhere. I’ve got protection detail for your friend for the rest of the day.” He spotted the agent who had spent the night outside Emily’s door and lifted a hand in greeting. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he told Mark.
    Several minutes passed before anyone reappeared, and Mark welcomed the momentary solitary interlude. But as the nurse exited Emily’s room after changing her dressing and helping her gather up her things, Coop and Nick rejoined him.
    “She says she doesn’t want a wheelchair,” the woman