decision. After this op, come in and let’s talk. I’ll ask Samara to do some research on the most current treatments.” He squeezed her hand, a rare gesture of affection. “You know we’ll help you any way we can.”
Riley whispered her thanks and went to her seat. Justin was sitting across from her, and even though he was sprawled in his chair and looked like he was sleeping, she knew he wasn’t. Without opening his eyes, he murmured quietly, “We are going to talk, Ingram.”
She knew he didn’t mean here and now. This discussion would have to be when they were alone, when things could be said, secrets shared. She hoped they could survive the conversation.
***
Northern Italy
Riley adjusted her backpack to a more comfortable position. As trails went, this was one of the easier she had hiked. Someone had cleared a path long ago and used it often. Problem was, they had no assurance that it would lead to their target. They had the general location of the hideout but no pinpoint. And when they arrived, who knew what they’d find? They’d been walking for several hours without seeing any sign of a hideaway.
She cut her eyes over to her partner, who seemed just as preoccupied as she had been. Other than making a remark about the low humidity and pointing out a soaring hawk, he had been mysteriously silent.
Myriad issues occupied her own mind. She thought about Russo and what it took to make men such as him. About Taylor Vaughn and what horrors she had already no doubt endured. Was the journalist as tough as she seemed? And she thought about herself. About what would come after the rescue. Now that she had made a decision, a part of her was anxious to get started. Of course, there was another part of her that was just as eager to forget the idea and go on as she had been. Didn’t she have a good life? Hadn’t she accomplished more than she’d ever believed possible? Why stir things up now?
The too-silent man beside her was one of the biggest reasons to not do anything. She cared what he thought about her. She cared about him. Once he found out, things would never be the same. What if he lost all confidence in her? They had a winning combination right now. Did she really want to mess with that?
He had said they needed to talk. She was surprised he hadn’t asked any questions yet. They were alone, with no one around to hear their discussion. Was he waiting for her to start talking? Could she just spill her figurative guts on a shady hillside in Italy?
Her foot slipped on wet grass, and she stumbled forward.
“Careful.” A hand caught her arm before she could land on her face. “You need to take a break?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
When he said nothing more, she glanced up at him. The contrast in the tuxedo-wearing best man and the one beside her now was startling. How could someone who looked so sophisticated and handsome in formal wear also look just as good in an army green T-shirt and camo pants? The shirt stretched across his broad chest, not tightly, but snug enough to reveal the hard muscles underneath.
She had seen Justin without a shirt many times. You didn’t spend days on an op with a partner without seeing each other in some stages of undress. Without a shirt, he was even more impressive looking.
Riley had always made sure she revealed as little skin as possible. Drawing attention to the marks on her body was always at the forefront of her mind. Justin had no such worries. She had seen several scars on his torso and back, but they didn’t seem to bother him. Maybe it was because he’d gotten the scars heroically, whereas hers came from something altogether different.
Justin pulled a map from inside his jacket. “It’ll be dark in about forty-five minutes. We’re maybe a couple of miles from the first cabin.” He jerked his head up toward a copse of giant pine trees a few miles ahead. “If it’s not Russo’s, we’ll set up camp. Get started back at
Riley whispered her thanks and went to her seat. Justin was sitting across from her, and even though he was sprawled in his chair and looked like he was sleeping, she knew he wasn’t. Without opening his eyes, he murmured quietly, “We are going to talk, Ingram.”
She knew he didn’t mean here and now. This discussion would have to be when they were alone, when things could be said, secrets shared. She hoped they could survive the conversation.
***
Northern Italy
Riley adjusted her backpack to a more comfortable position. As trails went, this was one of the easier she had hiked. Someone had cleared a path long ago and used it often. Problem was, they had no assurance that it would lead to their target. They had the general location of the hideout but no pinpoint. And when they arrived, who knew what they’d find? They’d been walking for several hours without seeing any sign of a hideaway.
She cut her eyes over to her partner, who seemed just as preoccupied as she had been. Other than making a remark about the low humidity and pointing out a soaring hawk, he had been mysteriously silent.
Myriad issues occupied her own mind. She thought about Russo and what it took to make men such as him. About Taylor Vaughn and what horrors she had already no doubt endured. Was the journalist as tough as she seemed? And she thought about herself. About what would come after the rescue. Now that she had made a decision, a part of her was anxious to get started. Of course, there was another part of her that was just as eager to forget the idea and go on as she had been. Didn’t she have a good life? Hadn’t she accomplished more than she’d ever believed possible? Why stir things up now?
The too-silent man beside her was one of the biggest reasons to not do anything. She cared what he thought about her. She cared about him. Once he found out, things would never be the same. What if he lost all confidence in her? They had a winning combination right now. Did she really want to mess with that?
He had said they needed to talk. She was surprised he hadn’t asked any questions yet. They were alone, with no one around to hear their discussion. Was he waiting for her to start talking? Could she just spill her figurative guts on a shady hillside in Italy?
Her foot slipped on wet grass, and she stumbled forward.
“Careful.” A hand caught her arm before she could land on her face. “You need to take a break?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
When he said nothing more, she glanced up at him. The contrast in the tuxedo-wearing best man and the one beside her now was startling. How could someone who looked so sophisticated and handsome in formal wear also look just as good in an army green T-shirt and camo pants? The shirt stretched across his broad chest, not tightly, but snug enough to reveal the hard muscles underneath.
She had seen Justin without a shirt many times. You didn’t spend days on an op with a partner without seeing each other in some stages of undress. Without a shirt, he was even more impressive looking.
Riley had always made sure she revealed as little skin as possible. Drawing attention to the marks on her body was always at the forefront of her mind. Justin had no such worries. She had seen several scars on his torso and back, but they didn’t seem to bother him. Maybe it was because he’d gotten the scars heroically, whereas hers came from something altogether different.
Justin pulled a map from inside his jacket. “It’ll be dark in about forty-five minutes. We’re maybe a couple of miles from the first cabin.” He jerked his head up toward a copse of giant pine trees a few miles ahead. “If it’s not Russo’s, we’ll set up camp. Get started back at
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