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  Scanning the group, she landed her gaze on a man she’d bet all she made was Leeds, the man Scar had told her about. It was the way he held himself.

  He didn’t bother stepping forward, nor did he offer his hand. He shot them both a sharp nod.

  “I’m Leeds. You’ve met Duke. This is Tanner, Beacon, Jojo, Sin, Marks and Shank. We’ve got gear—all we need is the rest of the information. Let’s get on it.”

  Jager shifted away from her and moved closer to the group. “Jager Cline. Thank you.”

  “Ace?”

  It went against everything she had been raised with and trained to do. But she did it. Holding up her hands, she backed up. “I’m not supposed to be in danger. The only reason this was agreed upon was because I’m to be kept safe and out of the way.”

  Try as she might, she couldn’t hide all the bitterness.

  Leeds paused for half a second then nodded. “Very well, claim a seat over there and stay out of the way.” He turned back to the men and waved them in closer.

  Jager glanced over his shoulder as he moved in, but she refused to meet his gaze. This was not the place for her and him to hash out any issues, despite all indications she had wanted to believe, she wasn’t the one for him.

  He didn’t turn back until she’d claimed a seat on the far side of the room. Even so, when he did face the group who had come to assist him, he shouldered his way around so he could still see her instead of having his back to her. Almost like he was afraid she was going to ghost.

  She wanted to for sure, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think being rash wouldn’t have consequences now. And while she longed to be a woman who could be protected, first and foremost she was a law enforcement officer and wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize this operation. So she kept her ass in the chair and stewed.

  Had he not been watching her with that eagle gaze, she would have texted her girls, but he didn’t give her a free moment—even when she thought he was occupied elsewhere, he was back on her the second she shifted in the chair.

  She could bide her time.

  Jager rolled his shoulders before readjusting the bulletproof vest he’d just pulled on. Once he was good with the fit, he stole another glance at the woman alone on the other side of the room.

  He got it—Xahara was pissed, even if she was doing her best to keep her anger contained. It was impressive how she harnessed her fury, but he didn’t care. She could be pissed at him for the rest of their lives because that meant she was alive to be furious.

  Once this was finished, he would come back here to her, and they would sit down and get everything out in the open. Then they would move forward as a couple.

  Shoving the Glock into his thigh holster, he gave a look to Duke who, despite his initial dislike of him because he’d touched Dove, he’d come to respect. The man knew his shit and it wasn’t hard to see how everyone waited for him to give his opinion on everything, even though the one called Leeds was in charge.

  The camaraderie of this group far surpassed anything he’d been part of at the ATF. He liked it. A lot. Jobs tended to go to shit and being able to count on the ones having his back, made everything that much easier. Knowing this group had his, even though they’d just met, comforted him more than if he’d had some of the guys from his old squad there.

  The only thing missing was the woman he had insisted stay here and be protected. She was a fighter—he knew that. It didn’t stop the way his DNA was wired that he did and would continue to do whatever was needed to ensure that his woman stayed safe.

  Striding over the large den floor to where she sat virtually frozen in the chair she’d taken when they’d begun the brief, he then stopped before her. His body stiffened as she dragged her heated gaze over him, inch by tortuous inch. The wild hunger in her brown eyes cooled a short time after she locked gazes with him.

  “Dove.”

  He held out his hand and didn’t breathe until she placed her smaller one in his. With a gentle tug, he got her to her feet and walked until they were in a corner at the farthest point in the room from everyone else.

  Angling his body so they could only see his back, he blocked her in and cupped her face.

  “I know you’re pissed at me, Dove. I swear I’ll make it up to you after this. Tell me you understand.”

  “What I understand is that as soon as there were men there to help you, I was kicked away like all I’ve done at your side meant shit.”

  He could have dealt with the anger, but the fact that it was a toneless statement bothered him far more.

  “I need you safe. I’m not going to be able to do what I need to if I’m worried about you getting shot.”

  “As opposed to before.”

  He flattened his lips. “We didn’t have a choice then. You don’t have to put yourself in danger.” Resting his head against hers, he moved to kiss her temple. “I’m part of the ATF, Dove. These men are SWAT. Let us do our job.”

  Her smile had no joy in it. “Yes, you should go do your job.”

  Pleased she understood, he cupped her face in both hands. “When this is over, Dove, you and me, we are going to have a long talk and move forward.”

  She didn’t speak and he held her gaze, willing her to agree.

  Skimming his thumb along her lips he waited. Still nothing.

  “Say something?”

  Xahara swallowed and blinked once. “Looks like they’re waiting for you. You should go.”

  “Fuck.” A deep breath. “Okay, then I’m coming back to you.” A hard, fast kiss and he hurried over to the guys drumming their fingers on their weapons as they waited.

  The first two began grinning, and he flipped them off. “Don’t start,” he growled.

  Jojo blew kisses at him as they moved through to where a vehicle waited for them. One that would get them out undetected, because it had been driven in earlier with a repair sign on the side. They all climbed into the back and the same man got behind the wheel to drive them out.

  The distance grew between him and Dove, and as each mile passed, he focused more and more on the mission at hand. To the new details that were shared, then they locked it down and prepared to move.

  * * * *

  It neared midnight before they had wrapped it all up. No injuries, at least on their end. They’d not been able to leave and report about any success until another op wrapped up at ATF, where they had scooped up the moles.

  Yep, three of them working in his office. It fucking disgusted him.

  Paul and his crew had also been swept up and taken off the streets. The remaining merchandise they’d stolen was now on its way to lockup to be cataloged and returned. Not anything he had to concern himself with.

  He looked up from the chair he’d claimed and had been sitting in and pacing in front of for the last two hours.

  “Can I call her?”

  Leeds shrugged. “You can try. She’s not there.”

  His world whooshed by him and he shook his head, unsure he’d heard correctly. “What? What the fuck happened? She was supposed to be there and be safe.”

  “I’m not, nor is Duke, in the habit of keeping women prisoners in our homes.”

  He shot to his feet. “Where is she?” He glanced at his wrist and swore again. He’d lost his beaded bracelet.

  Not important.

  “Where is she?” he reiterated, clenching his fists.

  “I don’t know. She left while I was with you. We were just allowed to reach out and that’s the first thing I was told when I called to check.”

  His gear lay to his left and he reached it in five steps. Digging out the phone he’d been given by her cousin, he swore as he realized he didn’t know her number.

  Dove!

  “Look alive, lover boy. Big boss wants to talk to you.”

  He followed Leeds’ finger to a suit who was making his way in their direction.

  “Leave us,” the man barked.

  “Nope.” Leeds rocked back on his boot heels.

/>   “Excuse me, Sergeant? I gave you an order.”

  Leeds snorted and crossed his arms, appearing even more intimidating than ever. “You’re not my commanding officer, and offense intended here, we just helped wiped up three moles within your department, so the fuck I’m letting you talk to him without witnesses. This man is part of our crew, and unlike the ATF, SWAT protects their own.”

  Jager would have been moved a shit ton more than he already was if he’d really thought about it. As it was, he hid his gratitude and pretended he knew exactly how they all felt about him. The rest of the men gathered around them, the same immovable expressions on their faces. They still had their weapons, and some were in vests, but they were all foreboding.

  The suit didn’t look all that confident any longer and Jager crossed his own arms, noting how that nervous gaze darted down to the exposed tattoos before dashing away.

  “This is about you coming back to the ATF.”

  Duke cleared his throat. “What offer do you have for him that’s better than the one our CO already made? Because it’s going to have to be fucking impressive.”

  Jager really liked these men.

  “You have five minutes, then I’m leaving to get home to my woman.” Okay, not entirely true, because he had to go track her down first, but damn it, he would find her.

  The man rushed through his speech, and even as the words registered, Jager had already moved on. The ATF was his past—they’d betrayed him, and he wasn’t going to be putting his life on the line with people he couldn’t irrefutably trust.

  Chapter Ten

  “What do you mean, you don’t understand, Xandra?”

  Xahara ripped the cucumbers off her eyes and turned her head to shoot daggers at her cousin, who was in the next chair. In the background, slow, old-school R&B played. Perfect music for relaxing or having a man with a fucking ass talented tongue bury his head between her thighs and send her hunting orgasm after orgasm as his facial hair teased the sensitive skin of her legs.

  Shit.

  She’d been okay, but that hadn’t helped. Her cousin didn’t seem to be aware of her dilemma or to give a damn about her internal agony. Their chairs were arranged in a way that allowed Xahara to look at her and glare without getting eye strain. Helpful for sure, because if she continued making comments like that, it was going to be a long afternoon.

  “Look.” Xandra waved a hand around as she removed her own cucumbers. “I was hoping that Xaya would be here for this, but I guess that emergency is not going to let that happen. So I’ll go, and before you ask, know that she is on my side with this.”

  She jerked her foot as her impatience grew. “Just spit it out already.” If she hadn’t had foam between her toes as the paint dried, she would have kicked something then begun to pace.

  “You’re mad at that man because he wanted to keep you safe.”

  She opened her mouth only to snap it shut when the look came.

  “He had been fine with you at his side until the men showed, yada yada. I get it, but you can’t blame him for that, Xahara.”

  She couldn’t? Fuck that. Anger pushed hard and she jumped up from the comfortable lounge she’d been on and stomped over to scowl down at her cousin.

  “Yes, I can. Better yet, I am. Why am I fine until the men come along? I bust my ass to do my job.”

  Xandra didn’t snip back as she’d been expecting. Instead her cousin grasped her hand, swung her legs around and tugged. Taking a seat, she waited.

  “Look at me.”

  She ground her jaw and set it as she refused.

  Her cousin’s touch was light but firm as she pushed on her cheek, forcing her to turn.

  “We are always in your corner, Xahara. Always. But I just want an answer to one question. Then I’ll let it go, okay. And I’ll tell Xaya to leave it be as well.”

  “Ask.”

  “Did you ever tell him you were SWAT?” Sadness filled her face as she got to her feet. “Both Xaya and I want you happy—that’s why we are pushing and asking. Because to me, if you didn’t, it’s not fair for you to be so angry at him.” Then she walked away, leaving her to her own thoughts.

  Sure she had.

  A thousand times.

  And every single one of those times were in her head. Fuck, she hated it when her cousins were right.

  * * * *

  After another four days hanging out with her girls, she headed back home to Haver City and settled back into work.

  Two weeks after she returned, Scar called her into his office. Fist bumping with two of the guys she passed, she jogged into the man’s space and perched on the edge of a chair.

  “How are you doing?”

  The air thickened and she narrowed her gaze. “Why?”

  “Because you’re once again manless.”

  Xahara wasn’t sure she could be so shocked. “I’m sorry, what? You called me into the office because you’re concerned I’m not getting dick?”

  Her voice rose.

  Scar merely arched an eyebrow and laced his fingers as his hands rested on his desk.

  “Not quite how I put it. Or as loud. But since you just shared it with everyone else, why don’t they come in as well, instead of lurking outside trying to listen without looking as if they are?”

  Soon enough, six more large men filed in and each found a spot along the wall where they rested, arms crossed and all of them sporting scowls.

  “What is this, a dick intervention?”

  “Get off the dick,” Scar growled.

  “She can’t,” Hammer said with a snort. “That’s the problem, she’s addicted.”

  “What is going on?” She rose, not liking being the only one other than Scar sitting. Once she repositioned herself to where she could see them all, she pushed her hands in her pockets.

  I will not cross my arms and appear defensive. No matter how defensive she was feeling. How dare they ambush her with this shit?

  “Your Jager Cline.”

  Fuck.

  Just hearing the name was enough to teeter her to the edge of reason. Biting the inside of her lip, she merely lifted an eyebrow.

  “The man that saved me, kidnapped me. What about him?”

  “That it?”

  No, but that was all she would be sharing with this group. If they knew the man had fucked her so hard, she’d forgotten her own name, she’d never live it down.

  Not what she should be thinking about right now. She didn’t need to get all flushed and horny in her commander’s office. Especially with the rest of the crew there.

  “Not sure what else you’re looking for, Scar. Or the rest of you.”

  “I’m trying to figure out why he’s now part of Gregory’s SWAT and not this one, to be with you. Especially how often he’s asking about you to Leeds. Man is trying to find you with every free second of his day.”

  Damn her ovaries for dancing at that.

  “And you know this how?”

  There, she asked without showing any emotion. Right? Well, it was a win in her head. In there she’d made sure there was no emotion.

  “Get out,” Scar ordered the others.

  They listened after grumbling. Every single one of them shot her a look which told her she would have this conversation again, individually with them all or as a group. While they worked with her well, they still saw themselves in older brother roles, and were forever determined to meddle in her love life.

  Which was probably why she didn’t have one. Who wanted to date a woman who had six SWAT brothers who bordered on the overly protective? Seven if she counted Scar. Then that she was as well a member of SWAT and wouldn’t ever be a woman to sit on the sidelines.

  “Focus, Ace.” Scar snapped his fingers at her, and she gave him her focus once more. “Thank you.”

  “Why are you asking me about where he is working? I’m assuming he’s there because they offered him a job.”

  Scar sighed and rocked back in his chair. “You never told him who you were. Di
d you?”

  “Wasn’t important.”

  He nodded and pursed his lips. “So the new bracelet you’ve not removed since you got back doesn’t have anything to do with him?”

  “I liked it,” she lied to his face.

  Jager had dropped it before he’d left to go bring down Paul and his crew. She’d picked it up and, instead of leaving it there for him, had taken it for herself.

  “Handle your shit before I do it for you.”

  She opened her mouth, and he rocked back farther as he shook his head in warning.

  “I have nothing to say to him.”

  “Better find something, because I told Leeds to let him know he can come here, and I will have some information for him.”

  She walked to the door, gripped the opening and faced her boss. “You’d give away my information?”

  “Consider it more like I’m forcing you to face what you’re so desperate to run from. Despite the lies you stood there and told me, we both know he means more to you than you’re admitting. I need you to face that. Sooner rather than later.”

  He waved a hand in her direction, shooing her from his office.

  What the fuck does that mean? Sooner rather than later.

  That night, when she walked out to head home, there were six guys sitting around her SUV.

  “I’m not paying for a fucking round.”

  All of the guys there smiled at her, and she laughed, hurrying over to join them. Time to hang with her guys.

  * * * *

  “Dr. Asher, you have a man looking for you.” He heard the receptionist state that from where he waited in the front of the veterinary clinic. Fuck, he had only known she worked here, not that she was a doctor.

  “Can you put him in Exam Two for me, Bekah?”

  “No pet.”

  “Oh, send him back to my office. I just have to finish up this paperwork and I’ll be right in.”