Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The hotel room patio offered a beautiful view of the sea. She’d actually stayed at this same hotel five years ago, but it definitely felt different now.
“How’s the room service?” One of the SEALs took a seat and slipped on a pair of aviator shades. “No mimosa with breakfast?”
“I’m sorry. There are so many of you. What’s your name again?” She’d met six guys in total since her arrival late last night, and aside from Knox—since they’d had their little heart-to-heart—she couldn’t keep the ridiculous number of hot men’s names straight in her head.
She’d nicknamed this SEAL as the Bad Boy, and it had nothing to do with his longish dark hair and tattoos. No, it was the look in his eyes. He gave off the vibe that he was both a rule-breaker and a heartbreaker.
“I’m Asher.” He stole a scone off her plate, leaned back in his seat, and lifted his head in the direction of the sunrays.
Monaco was having one of their record high temperatures for January, and she was prepared to soak in every bit of sunlight as a means of avoiding her feelings for Luke or confronting the mess she was embroiled in.
“Is that your real name or your nickname?” She set her fork down, not really all that hungry anymore.
“All mine, sugar.”
“And what was your nickname in the SEALs?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
She was already writing his story in her head, almost subconsciously.
And in her head, Asher and Jessica had a thing.
Or, maybe they would at some point. The tension between them last night had milked the room of oxygen.
And usually, there was only one reason why tension ever ran that red-hot.
She should know since it’d been like that with her and Luke.
“Fighter Boy.”
She chuckled. “Are you pulling my leg? Why not, at least, Fighter Man?”
He swallowed the bites of his scone and washed it down with some OJ. “It sounds weird like that.”
“Okay.” She flicked her wrist in a come-hither motion. “Details. Why the name?”
“Damn, woman, Knox warned me about you, and I didn’t believe him.” His dark brow lifted as he peeled the skin off a banana next.
“What?” she asked, a sudden shyness taking hold of her.
“You sure do love questions.”
She fiddled with the handle of her coffee mug but didn’t lift it. “Well?”
His white teeth flashed in the bright light. “I was a fighter for a couple of years before joining the SEALs.”
“Like professionally? In the UFC?”
“Nah, like in underground clubs and alleyways in New York.” He chewed his food and added, “I’ve always been a bit of a rabble-rouser if you can believe that.”
“Really? Yup, super hard to believe.” She dragged her words through a layer of sarcasm but added a smile. “Do you still like fighting?”
“As long as I have a worthy opponent.” He kicked his denim-clad leg up on the table, his black military boot catching her eye.
She couldn’t imagine him and Luke working together. They were like fire and ice.
Eva held up a finger. “Be right back.”
When she returned, Asher had his hands casually resting behind his neck, and he angled his head her way, the sun reflecting off his glasses and hitting her eyes. “A pen and paper? Is this an interview now?”
“No, but I’d love it if you could help me create a list of names so I can keep everyone straight in my head.” She assumed her seat and removed the cap from the pen, poised and ready to jot some notes.
“We don’t really want you knowing much about us.”
“Too late for that. I just want names, by the way. Not your social security numbers and bank account information.”
“Pretty sure your account is a hell of a lot more padded than mine.” He looked back up at the sky, far too laid-back for a man on a covert mission. Then again, he did get assigned to her, and not to Malik. He probably drew the short straw.
“I already know Knox,” she said while writing his name and Charlie next to it.
“And you’re fairly familiar with the boss.”
She faked a cough, telling him not to go further—hoping he’d get the message. “Aussie accent? That was who again?”
“Ladies’ Man Liam.”
“What? The accent makes women hot?” She scribbled his name in a rush and reached for her mug.
“Nah, it’s his ten-inch cock.”
She nearly knocked her coffee off the table as a breath of air whooshed from her mouth.
“Kidding. Relax. I’ve never confirmed that detail myself.”
She was used to working with actors who played the role of rough and tough SEALs on her show, but none of them were actually like this. Of course, the keyword was actor. These guys were legit.
“Computer guy? Kind of edgy? Or on edge, I should say.”
“Owen.” Asher released a quick laugh. “Actually, he’s a wild man, but when in the middle of an op, he doesn’t screw around.”
“Okay.” Doesn’t screw around, she thought while jotting down the note. “The pretty woman you like to argue with.” Okay, she remembered her name, but now she felt like giving a little feistiness right back to him.
“Jessica—is she pretty? Haven’t noticed.” He lifted his glasses and shot her a quick look. “I prefer brunettes.”
Sure, you do.
“I think that’s enough for now,” Asher said and dropped his leg to the floor and stood. “Don’t want to overload you.”
“Funny.” But maybe he was right. What was the point of even getting close to any of these guys when she’d never see them again after a few days?
God, she couldn’t handle much longer than a couple of days, and surely her brother and family would begin looking for her soon.
“Um, could you find out something for me?” Since she was on the topic .
. . “I know you guys are busy, but maybe you could check to make sure my family is still okay, and that they aren’t checking the hospitals for me. ”
“I overheard Luke getting an update from Jessica this morning, actually. He’s on top of it—your family is good.”
Relief struck her. “Thank you, and uh, thanks for watching out for me. I’m sure you’d prefer to be in the other room.”
He scrunched his nose and mouth together. “Nah, I hate intelligence shit. I’m more into the action.”
“I highly doubt that’s the only reason you’re doing this job.”
He smiled. “This isn’t a job, sweetheart. It’s more of a calling.”
“Right.” She stood. “I guess I’m gonna hit the shower.”
“Do me a favor. Keep the door unlocked in case you slip and fall.”
“I’m a civilian, not an idiot. And don’t come barging in on me. If Luke were to walk in and think—”
“I told you I like to fight.” He pushed away from the terrace wall he’d been leaning against and strode toward her, stopping only inches away.
“Yeah. A ‘worthy opponent.’”
He smoothed a hand over his beard. “My buddies happen to be the best fighters I know. How do you think I practice and keep in such good shape?”
“Well, I’d prefer Luke and you not throw down. Not over me, at least.”
“You’re quite confident you’d provoke such a strong reaction from him, aren’t you?”
She tensed. “Um.”
“Relax.” He leaned in closer to her. “We don’t mess around with each other’s women.”
“I’m not his woman.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“Yeah? And how about his sister—is she off-limits for you?” She’d been reaching, but . . . it shut the SEAL up.
“Thank you,” Jessica whispered to Eva a few minutes after she and Asher had joined the room with the rest of the team later that evening. “I heard what you made Asher do today.”
Eva tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled. “He told you?”
Jessica’s attention snapped to where he stood by the window for a brief moment. “No, he texted Knox, complaining.” She gave a gentle squeeze to Eva’s shoulder. “French films with English subtitles . . . thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Maybe they really did hate each other? “Anytime.”
A grin met Jessica’s lips before she walked back into the pit, to the area crowded by computers and SEALs.
Eva took a seat next to Knox, the only one without a gadget in his hand. “So, you think Malik knows we’re here?”
“I’m sure. It’s what he wanted, but we didn’t have a tail when we left the airport in Nice,” Knox answered.
“And we didn’t have one, either,” Luke added. He dragged his gaze slowly up and met her stare from across the room. “But he’s anticipating our moves.”
Eva had gone back and forth between regret and confidence in her decision to turn him down last night.
And the way his blue eyes, like the color of the sky on a clear night, held hers right now . . . it created the hard sting of desire once again.
“Six weeks ago,” Owen nearly shouted, cutting thoughts of sex from Eva’s mind and pulling her back to the situation at hand.
“And?” Luke asked.
Owen pounded a fist into an open palm and smiled. “I finally placed Malik and his brother in the same city together. Guess where.”
“Here,” Luke said, his brows stitching tight as if putting the pieces together.
“Well, Nice—but I’m betting the safe is somewhere close by here,” Owen answered.
“Would Malik really take the chance of having us in the same city as the safe?” Jessica eyed her brother.
“Maybe he figured he wouldn’t have time to get to it if he were farther away,” Owen said.
“Which means he’s confident he’ll get the code from us.” Jessica held up a finger all of a sudden. “One sec.” She reached into her pocket and held her phone. “Yeah?”
Luke lifted the computer off his lap and set it on a table before approaching his sister. His hands rested on his hips as he eyed her.
Jessica nodded a few times as if the caller could see her, and then said, “Okay, thanks for the update.”
“Well?” Owen pushed away from the desk, the wheels of the chair rolling across the gold carpet.
“It doesn’t look like Ender will wake. The doc thinks he’ll stay in a coma.” She frowned.
Luke’s hand plummeted to his side like a ton of bricks cutting through the air, then he started for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To speak with Malik. With this news, I don’t want to waste time.”
“Whoa. Wait a second.” Jessica crossed the room and grabbed his arm, urging him to look at her. “Are you out of your mind?”
“He’s not going to do anything to me in this hotel for the same reason we’re not making a move on him. So, why the hell not have a friendly heart-to-heart? Maybe it’s about time.”
“He’s not in his room, remember?” Owen stole Luke’s attention. “He’s in the casino with three of his guys, playing poker. We have two men covering him now.”
“Who the hell plays cards at a time like this?” Luke cursed beneath his breath. “I’ll have to go through metal detectors, then.” He bent down, lifted his pant leg and unsnapped a pistol from a hidden holster.
“You’ll need a blazer,” Knox noted and quirked a brow. “There’s a dress code for the private gaming area he’s in.”
“Are you really doing this?” Jessica faced the room as if seeking help from the group, but they simultaneously looked away from her, not wanting to tell her no, apparently—but also, not wanting to say yes.
“Any of the shops still open? I didn’t exactly bring evening wear,” Luke said with a hint of a smile that fell away when he looked at Eva. “And don’t let her out of your sight while I’m gone.”
“Bring me with you,” Eva sputtered before she had a chance to think her words through first.
Luke stalked toward her, his brows lowering with an uncompromising look in his eyes. “Why?”
She fought the tremble in her bottom lip and said, “He wants us both. If you’re going to face him, let him know you had the guts to bring me, too.”
“Not a bad idea,” Knox said.
Eva resisted looking at Knox; she couldn’t lose sight of Luke. She needed him to know she was serious.
“I won’t put you in danger,” he said sharply.
“If you’re safe, shouldn’t I be, too?” She crossed her arms.
He lifted his chin, his gaze narrowing, but he kept his lips tight.
“It’ll confirm that we’re both here and we didn’t fall for his trap. It puts us on an even playing field.”
“We don’t want an ‘even playing field.’ We want an advantage.” He started to turn, but she caught his arm.
“Of course, but we let him think that.”
“Malik doesn’t know whether Ender’s alive,” Knox interjected. “It could be a smart play to rattle him by having her show up with you at the casino. It’s a move he won’t expect.”
“I don’t like it,” Luke said, his jaw tightening.
“You’ll be by my side,” Eva noted.
“She should go,” Jessica said.
Luke’s shoulders squared back, and he pulled his arm free. “Fine,” he hissed. “I’ll have to get you something to wear downstairs.”
Triumph spread throughout her body. “You don’t know my size, remember?”
His blues traveled the length of her from head to toe. He leaned forward, and his breath touched her ear. “I’ve seen you naked, sweetheart. I’ve got your digits memorized now.”
Goose bumps scattered across her skin at such an inopportune time, and a soft kiss of air left her lips when he stood erect, ignoring the weight of the stares from the room.
“I want this wrapped up,” he said while straightening, and a huskiness bled through his command.
She wondered if his sense of urgency also had to do with a sudden need to get away from her.