Read Online Your Next Breath by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online Page A

straightened. “I have to leave. I hear the helicopter. By the way, when we intercepted the message from the pilot to Nagoles, he mentioned that he’d been sent by Santos to pick him up. If you had any doubts it was Santos who was targeting you, that should put them to rest.”
    “Wait. Do you have help to take Nagoles down?”
    “It’s only a helicopter pickup. Nagoles is hiding in the rocks near the plateau. When the helicopter lands, he’ll surface, and I’ll have him.”
    “Is that a no?”
    He got to his feet. “I’m touched by your concern.”
    “Cameron, listen,” she said urgently. “I don’t want this Carlos Nagoles dead. I want to ask him questions.”
    “I thought that might be why you were trying to contact me.” He was heading for the cave opening. “I don’t promise you anything, Catherine. Santos’s errand boy piloting that helicopter will definitely go down. Nagoles? He tried to kill Erin. I’m not going to let him get a chance to do it again.” The glance he gave her over his shoulder was cool, narrowed, and razor sharp. “If you’re lucky, I might place a few questions to him. Emphasis on might.”
    “Damn you. I need to—”
    But the cave was suddenly gone.
    And so was Cameron.
    She was only surrounded by the shadowy darkness of her familiar bedroom.
    And Cameron was somewhere on that mountain in Tibet, running toward the shooter.
    And she wanted to be with him.
    Who knew what kind of firepower the pilot on that helicopter would have?
    Why was she worried? Cameron was totally remarkable and could certainly take care of himself.
    And the bastard had refused to give her any reassurances about Nagoles. Cameron would do things his way and to hell with what she wanted. Which meant that she might lose her chance to get the information she needed about Santos’s location. So it was ridiculous for her to feel anything but anger at Cameron.
    And stupid of her to still want to be on that mountain with him.
    *   *   *
    Cameron could feel the blood coursing through his veins as he ran down the rocky path to the plateau. Seeing Catherine again had made every sense come alive. Long, dark hair, sleek and shining, a slight tilt to those dark eyes that were bold and fierce and brimming with life against the gold of her skin. A mouth that was shaped as beautifully as the rest of her features. A slim body that was still sensual, sexual as well as strong. He loved her strength as much as that sexuality. In spite of his anger, she’d had the same explosive sexual effect on him as she’d had from the moment he’d met her. Sex and obsession. As Guardian, it wasn’t wise for him to form obsessions, but Catherine had definitely become an obsession. That was why he’d resented the fact that she’d not come to him for help when she’d been targeted. She had left him out, and it angered him … and hurt.
    Stop thinking of Catherine. There was work to be done.
    His gaze raked the clusters of rock ahead for signs of Nagoles. By nature, he was a hunter, and Nagoles was fair game. Not only was he a killer, but he was a threat to Erin and Catherine. Besides, he didn’t often get the chance to go one-on-one. To his infinite disgust, the committee regarded him as too valuable to the project to risk.
    He could see the red-and-cream helicopter on the horizon. It was losing altitude, preparing to land.
    Nagoles had still not come out of the rocks.
    Wait.
    Watch.
    He dodged to one side for cover as he reached the rocks.
    The helicopter was hovering.
    Shit. There was a missile mounted on either side of the copter.
    A complication.
    Where the hell was Nagoles?
    Then the helicopter was on the ground, rotors blowing snow in all directions.
    “Here!” Nagoles was running through the boulders toward the helicopter, his right hand clenching on his rifle.
    In a minute, he’d be out of the rocks and a few yards from the helicopter. That would be the time to take him down.
    Just a little closer …
    He carefully