woman that he should stay away from didn’t
make him happy.
In fact, it pissed him off.
Trying not to think about that, Dare pulled
his hand away from the woman watching him with eyes that seemed to see too
much. Again, he was struck with how familiar she looked. Hers wasn’t a face
that someone forgot easily. “Do I know you?”
Nikita took a moment, then sighed. “Russia.
About six years ago. I think it was on one of your first assignments.”
His jaw dropped as it came back to him.
“Shit.”
“You’re telling me,” Nikita said wryly. “It’s
a small-fucking-world.”
Dare agreed. He had indeed been sent to
Russia on one of his first assignments with the taskforce, and Nikita had been
one of the agents in charge. He hadn’t interacted with her much since he’d been
at their temporary command center while she’d been out in the field, but he did
remember her. “What the hell are you doing in Breakers?”
“Running my shop, living my life. I’m retired
now, or as retired as I can be.”
“I’m done. Out.”
“Sure you are,” she said, her voice all but
dripping with sarcasm. “You’re never really done with that group of misfits. Get
used to that right now. But they mostly leave me alone now. It’s probably
because they know I might shoot them if they keep bothering me.”
Dare wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not.
“I told them I wanted out.”
“That doesn’t mean shit.” She waved a hand in
the air absently as she leaned against the counter. “Just keep saying it if it
makes you feel better, though. So, you’re Dr. Hottie.”
“What the hell?”
Nikita snickered as watched him. “That’s what
they’re calling you at the rescue center, didn’t you know?”
Dare scowled at her. Damn it. No, he hadn’t
known that. It irritated him that people were talking about him as
though...wait a minute. Was Evie calling him that, too?
Nikita laughed as she punched him on the
shoulder, making him wince. Damn it, the woman packed a punch, even if it was
supposed to be playful. “I don’t even want to know where your mind just went.
Come on, Doc. My station is over here.”
He followed her over to the chair closest to
the back, fighting the urge to rub his arm. She sat on a stool and crossed her
arms over her chest as she studied him, but he didn’t sit. “Do you know what
you want or are you one of those annoying people who doesn’t know and needs
help picking something?”
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea...”
She groaned, rolling her eyes at him. “You are one of those annoying people.”
“I know what I want,” he snapped before he
could help himself, staring at her with incredulity. “Is this how you talk to
all your clients? Because I have to say, I’m surprised you’re still in
business.”
Chuckling, she shook her head. “Naw, this is just
how I treat my friends. Since Hammer is marrying one of my best friends, that
practically makes us family, so get used to it.”
“Gee, aren’t I lucky.” Huffing out a breath,
he sat down on the black leather chair in front of her. He’d been putting off
getting the addition to his tattoo for far too long now, and he’d damn well do
it now. Even if he had to put up with this woman to see it done. He briefly
thought about waiting until Hunter was working to do this, but he considered it
might be easier dealing with a virtual stranger for this particular venture.
She waited patiently for him to speak, and he finally gave in with a frustrated
sigh.
“I need five barbs added to my arm tat,” he
bit out as he pushed up his short sleeve to expose his arm.
Her body seemed to tense. “That’s a very
specific number.”
“It is,” he said softly.
The grief was clear in her voice when she
asked, “Did we lose so many?”
Dare closed his eyes for a moment as he
struggled to control his emotions. Because she knew. She knew without him
having to say a word about what his tattoo stood for and what he’d
make him happy.
In fact, it pissed him off.
Trying not to think about that, Dare pulled
his hand away from the woman watching him with eyes that seemed to see too
much. Again, he was struck with how familiar she looked. Hers wasn’t a face
that someone forgot easily. “Do I know you?”
Nikita took a moment, then sighed. “Russia.
About six years ago. I think it was on one of your first assignments.”
His jaw dropped as it came back to him.
“Shit.”
“You’re telling me,” Nikita said wryly. “It’s
a small-fucking-world.”
Dare agreed. He had indeed been sent to
Russia on one of his first assignments with the taskforce, and Nikita had been
one of the agents in charge. He hadn’t interacted with her much since he’d been
at their temporary command center while she’d been out in the field, but he did
remember her. “What the hell are you doing in Breakers?”
“Running my shop, living my life. I’m retired
now, or as retired as I can be.”
“I’m done. Out.”
“Sure you are,” she said, her voice all but
dripping with sarcasm. “You’re never really done with that group of misfits. Get
used to that right now. But they mostly leave me alone now. It’s probably
because they know I might shoot them if they keep bothering me.”
Dare wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not.
“I told them I wanted out.”
“That doesn’t mean shit.” She waved a hand in
the air absently as she leaned against the counter. “Just keep saying it if it
makes you feel better, though. So, you’re Dr. Hottie.”
“What the hell?”
Nikita snickered as watched him. “That’s what
they’re calling you at the rescue center, didn’t you know?”
Dare scowled at her. Damn it. No, he hadn’t
known that. It irritated him that people were talking about him as
though...wait a minute. Was Evie calling him that, too?
Nikita laughed as she punched him on the
shoulder, making him wince. Damn it, the woman packed a punch, even if it was
supposed to be playful. “I don’t even want to know where your mind just went.
Come on, Doc. My station is over here.”
He followed her over to the chair closest to
the back, fighting the urge to rub his arm. She sat on a stool and crossed her
arms over her chest as she studied him, but he didn’t sit. “Do you know what
you want or are you one of those annoying people who doesn’t know and needs
help picking something?”
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea...”
She groaned, rolling her eyes at him. “You are one of those annoying people.”
“I know what I want,” he snapped before he
could help himself, staring at her with incredulity. “Is this how you talk to
all your clients? Because I have to say, I’m surprised you’re still in
business.”
Chuckling, she shook her head. “Naw, this is just
how I treat my friends. Since Hammer is marrying one of my best friends, that
practically makes us family, so get used to it.”
“Gee, aren’t I lucky.” Huffing out a breath,
he sat down on the black leather chair in front of her. He’d been putting off
getting the addition to his tattoo for far too long now, and he’d damn well do
it now. Even if he had to put up with this woman to see it done. He briefly
thought about waiting until Hunter was working to do this, but he considered it
might be easier dealing with a virtual stranger for this particular venture.
She waited patiently for him to speak, and he finally gave in with a frustrated
sigh.
“I need five barbs added to my arm tat,” he
bit out as he pushed up his short sleeve to expose his arm.
Her body seemed to tense. “That’s a very
specific number.”
“It is,” he said softly.
The grief was clear in her voice when she
asked, “Did we lose so many?”
Dare closed his eyes for a moment as he
struggled to control his emotions. Because she knew. She knew without him
having to say a word about what his tattoo stood for and what he’d
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