Read Online The Talented Mr. Rivers by Helenkay Dimon - Free Book Online
Authors: Helenkay Dimon
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Hunter’s phone. The display lit up, just for a second, then turned off again. Hunter didn’t bother to look at it now because he needed his full attention on his surroundings. It had only been dark for a short time thanks to the long summer day.
He took another step before he heard it. The slight shuffle of movement, almost imperceptible. Others, people not trained, would have missed it. It blended into the sound of passing cars and the murmur of voices a short distance away. Then it was gone. One brief note, but it was enough to tip him off to impending trouble.
He waited for the next narrow street. When he hit it, he ducked around the corner and stopped. Counting to three, he waited. No footsteps or sound this time, but he knew. At three he stepped out and grabbed the guy standing there. Dragged him into the side street and slammed him against the wall.
The guy didn’t fight or protest. Even in the limited light it took Hunter only a second to realize why. He knew this one.
Fisher Braun, the guy who had actually blown up the Rivers estate three weeks ago. CIA Special Activities Division team leader and all-around badass. Hunter had worked with him on the job that uncovered Pentasus. He and his team, though reluctantly.
Hunter stared into Fisher’s dark eyes and saw amusement dancing there. That was enough to make Hunter shove away from him. “Asshole.”
“It is always good to see you.” Fisher glanced at the space just over Hunter’s shoulder. “You remember Seth Lang.”
Part Chinese and all smartass. Hunter definitely remembered Seth. Hunter wasn’t a big fan of Fisher either but that had more to do with his general distrust of people and the fact that the man Hunter used to sleep with—Zachary Allen—was now Fisher’s partner inside of the bedroom and out.
Fisher’s group was tidy and efficient. They busted ass and were as tough as anyone he’d ever encountered. But they worked as a team, while Hunter preferred to go it alone.
There was a bigger issue, though. Before working with them he’d never bent the rules. He’d followed protocol. They’d taught him that sometimes he needed to go around the people in charge to get anything done. More than likely that new skill would land him in prison one day.
“What are you doing in Paris?” Hunter didn’t care who answered so long as one of them did.
“Wait, how did you know we were following you?” Seth asked.
“I worked with both of you. I know how you operate.” That actually didn’t have any relevance to the question and when they continued to stare he gave in. “Plus my phone lit up, alerting me that someone was trying to access it and wanted my attention. Figured coming into the open would draw the person out. I guess better you two than someone sent to kill me.”
Seth smiled. “It’s cute you think those things are mutually exclusive.”
“What are you doing in our safe house?” Fisher said in a firm voice, cutting through the bullshit as he tended to do.
That was the one flaw in his plan. Hunter had to rely on the team and he did not like it. Before this, the scales had been tipped in the other direction. They owed him because he’d stepped in and helped when first Stacia and then Peter tried to kill Zach. This was not how Hunter had intended to call in that favor, which was why he hadn’t bothered to ask before he moved in.
“I had an emergency.” He’d had access to the SAD team’s files thanks to Zach and the Pentasus job and knew about this safe house and two others, which meant there were even more scattered around.
“Let me get this straight. You go underground after the explosion and then pop up in one of our places?” Fisher shook his head. “I won’t even ask how you know about it, not now, but you can tell me later.” He plowed ahead, lowering his voice likely as a concession to a group of people walking by. “And the really interesting part is you have Will Rivers with you, not that you volunteered
He took another step before he heard it. The slight shuffle of movement, almost imperceptible. Others, people not trained, would have missed it. It blended into the sound of passing cars and the murmur of voices a short distance away. Then it was gone. One brief note, but it was enough to tip him off to impending trouble.
He waited for the next narrow street. When he hit it, he ducked around the corner and stopped. Counting to three, he waited. No footsteps or sound this time, but he knew. At three he stepped out and grabbed the guy standing there. Dragged him into the side street and slammed him against the wall.
The guy didn’t fight or protest. Even in the limited light it took Hunter only a second to realize why. He knew this one.
Fisher Braun, the guy who had actually blown up the Rivers estate three weeks ago. CIA Special Activities Division team leader and all-around badass. Hunter had worked with him on the job that uncovered Pentasus. He and his team, though reluctantly.
Hunter stared into Fisher’s dark eyes and saw amusement dancing there. That was enough to make Hunter shove away from him. “Asshole.”
“It is always good to see you.” Fisher glanced at the space just over Hunter’s shoulder. “You remember Seth Lang.”
Part Chinese and all smartass. Hunter definitely remembered Seth. Hunter wasn’t a big fan of Fisher either but that had more to do with his general distrust of people and the fact that the man Hunter used to sleep with—Zachary Allen—was now Fisher’s partner inside of the bedroom and out.
Fisher’s group was tidy and efficient. They busted ass and were as tough as anyone he’d ever encountered. But they worked as a team, while Hunter preferred to go it alone.
There was a bigger issue, though. Before working with them he’d never bent the rules. He’d followed protocol. They’d taught him that sometimes he needed to go around the people in charge to get anything done. More than likely that new skill would land him in prison one day.
“What are you doing in Paris?” Hunter didn’t care who answered so long as one of them did.
“Wait, how did you know we were following you?” Seth asked.
“I worked with both of you. I know how you operate.” That actually didn’t have any relevance to the question and when they continued to stare he gave in. “Plus my phone lit up, alerting me that someone was trying to access it and wanted my attention. Figured coming into the open would draw the person out. I guess better you two than someone sent to kill me.”
Seth smiled. “It’s cute you think those things are mutually exclusive.”
“What are you doing in our safe house?” Fisher said in a firm voice, cutting through the bullshit as he tended to do.
That was the one flaw in his plan. Hunter had to rely on the team and he did not like it. Before this, the scales had been tipped in the other direction. They owed him because he’d stepped in and helped when first Stacia and then Peter tried to kill Zach. This was not how Hunter had intended to call in that favor, which was why he hadn’t bothered to ask before he moved in.
“I had an emergency.” He’d had access to the SAD team’s files thanks to Zach and the Pentasus job and knew about this safe house and two others, which meant there were even more scattered around.
“Let me get this straight. You go underground after the explosion and then pop up in one of our places?” Fisher shook his head. “I won’t even ask how you know about it, not now, but you can tell me later.” He plowed ahead, lowering his voice likely as a concession to a group of people walking by. “And the really interesting part is you have Will Rivers with you, not that you volunteered
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