Cassidy’s lover hadn’t been alone in the ballroom. Another man had come to his aid, fighting, battling viciously. And a third person—a shooter, a sniper—had fired on Guan. The bullet had flown through the window and taken Guan’s life. Guan had been a valuable part of Ian’s crew. Strong, cruel, able to kill so easily—he’d been a key asset.
And he’d been caught unaware.
At least three men. All centered on Cassidy? It certainly seemed that way.
He’d get to her, but first, he’d have to separate Cassidy from her circle of protectors.
Or he’d have to simply kill those protectors. Payback, for the lives of his men.
He’d always believed in the value of an eye for an eye.
* * *
CALE WASN’T A FOOL. Cassidy might think he was misled by a wide smile and flirting eyes—and a very short robe—but this wasn’t his first case. He wasn’t some green soldier who’d be distracted by a pretty face. Or long legs.
So when Cassidy came shimmying down the lattice outside of her hotel, he was waiting for her.
The shadows hid him. All of the agents in his team knew how to use the shadows. So he stood in the darkness, watching her jump from the lattice and touch down gracefully on the cement. She was almost bouncing with excitement.
You thought you got away from me?
Not even close.
She glanced back up at the open bathroom window as she eased away from the building. She still hadn’t seen him.
Time to change that.
He stepped forward, moving soundlessly, the way he’d learned to hunt when Uncle Sam had first trained him to be an army ranger.
She still didn’t hear him.
And she was an EOD agent? Doubt gnawed at him. Cassidy sure didn’t act like an agent.
He reached out and curled his fingers around her shoulder.
Cassidy screamed.
Not like an agent.
An agent would attack first, not scream.
But Cassidy’s attack came seconds after her scream. She whirled around, striking out at him with a strong left hook. It would have been a good blow, if it had connected to his face.
It didn’t.
He caught her fist in his hand, freezing the blow. “Did you need some air?” Cale murmured, trying to sound mildly curious.
A shaft of streetlight fell on her face, and he saw her surprise as her jaw dropped open.
“Because, if you needed some air—” Cale shrugged “—I would have been happy to go for a walk with you. You should have just asked me.”
She tried to jerk back her fist. Because there was no place for her to run in that narrow alleyway, he let her go.
Cassidy was caged between him and the side of the hotel. Freedom wasn’t in sight.
He crossed his arms over his chest and waited, sure that whatever lie was about to spill from her full lips would be interesting.
“I didn’t expect you to be waiting.” She cocked her head as she studied him. Cassidy rocked forward onto the balls of her feet. “You must have come down here the minute I shut the bathroom door.”
Yes, he had. Cale wondered why she wasn’t trying to lie to him.
“How did you know?” Cassidy asked. “You shouldn’t have known.”
She looked quite different from the glittering debutante who’d been in the ballroom. Different from the seductive temptress in the silk robe who’d made him ache minutes before.
Now Cassidy was clad in jeans and a loose T-shirt, and her hair tumbled around her shoulders. He still found her sexy—no matter what, he kept finding her sexy.
Problem.
Because he wasn’t supposed to want her. That hadn’t been part of his assignment. He’d never mixed business with pleasure before.
Don’t start now.
“How did you know I was going to run?” Cassidy pressed. Nervous energy seemed to pour from her.
“Because Mercer told me that you would run.” If you let her out of your sight, she’s gone, had been Mercer’s gruff words. He hadn’t actually believed the man, at least, not until she’d said...
I’ll change in the bathroom and be right back.
“And your voice changed,” he said. A small hitch, barely noticeable, but he’d been paying careful attention to her. That little hitch had put him on high alert.
He’d known that Cassidy wasn’t coming back to him.
So he’d decided to go after her.
“My voice changed?” Her voice rose then. “Impossible. No one can tell when I’m lying.”
He flashed a hard smile. “I could.”
She frowned at him; then her gaze snaked over his shoulder. Ah, nice trick. Her eyes had narrowed even more, as if she was intently studying something behind him. Obviously, the lady was trying to distract him. If he followed her gaze and looked in that direction, she’d try to run away.
This wasn’t amateur hour. He wasn’t about to—
“Look out!” Cassidy screamed.
She didn’t try to run away.
She grabbed him, twisting with him so that they both fell in a heap, crashing onto the cement even as a crack of thunder broke the waning night.
Not thunder. He knew that sound too well—gunshot.
He rolled them, positioning their bodies so that he was on top of her, shielding Cassidy. He heard her mutter, “You’re welcome, cowboy.”
He lifted his gun. His gaze searched the area. The shot had come from the south, from the heavier shadows there. They had no good cover, and he had to get her out of there.
From what he could tell, the shot hadn’t drawn any attention. They were away from the main party streets, so this area of town was pretty deserted. And the shooter—well, he was probably just waiting for Cale and Cassidy to move.
They’d rolled behind an old sports car. One that they couldn’t hide behind forever. But some generous person had conveniently parked the car at the edge of the alley.
Your mistake, buddy, but thanks.
“Where’s your team?” Cassidy demanded in a low whisper. “You have a team, right? Shouldn’t they be here?”
His team was still back at the ballroom, talking with the local authorities and trying to figure out just who those men had been.
For the moment, he and Cassidy were on their own.
Cale quickly considered his options. He could try to get her back upstairs into her room.
And then have the shooter—shooters?—come up after us? Not the best idea.
Or he could get her the hell out of there.
Cale decided to go with option two. His left hand tightened on her. “When I say ‘move,’ you get into the sports car and you stay low.”