Beaming now, she pushes away from the edge, diving briefly. My gaze tracks her movement beneath the surface as tension knots tighter in my shoulders, making the balance between protector and what I want increasingly difficult.
Mackenzi surfaces near the shallow end before splashing water lightly at me, a few cold droplets hitting my pants. I narrow my eyes. “Careful.”
“Or what?”
“Don’t test me, trouble.”
She splashes me again. “Ooops. Too late.”She’s a menace.I move closer to the edge as she laughs softly, sunlight catching the water beading along her shoulders. “You should come in.”
Fuck.The image that request instantly creates in my head should probably concern me.
“You know I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because somebody has to remain capable of rational thought.”
She rolls her eyes before splashing me a third time.
“Unknown vehicle slowing along the north wall.” Gunnar’s voice crackles sharply through my earpiece. Every muscle in my body tightens instantly, the shift fromrelaxed to alert happens so fast, it’s almost painful. My eyes sweep beyond the courtyard to the north side of the grounds.
“Daddy…” Mackenzi playfully whisper-whines.
I hold one finger up while pressing two against my earpiece. “Description.”
“Black SUV. No embassy clearance.”
My focus sharpens, adrenaline beginning its cold crawl through my bloodstream.
Oblivious, Mackenzi splashes lightly at me again and sighs. “Always so serious.”
I barely register her words, years of instinct suddenly screaming,“This is wrong.”
“Vehicle approaching gate.” Gunnar’s voice cuts sharply through comms. “Three— no. Four men exiting.”
My head snaps toward the perimeter of the water. “Get out of the pool.”
Mackenzi blinks at the sudden harshness in my tone. “What?”
“Now.”
Another voice crackles through comms instantly.
“I’ve got the ambassador,” Hawk says tightly. “Heading to the panic room.”
Shit.
Mackenzi pushes wet hair from her face with a frown. “C’mon, I was just playing around.”
My entire body goes cold; she doesn’t understand. She can’t hear the comms in my ear or recognize the shift in Marine movement along the perimeter walls. She has no idea the embassy is locking down.
“I said,” I snap sharply, firmly annunciating every word, “get out of thefuckingpool.”
Her eyes widen at my gruffness, and she apologizes quickly, “No… I’m sorry… I… I was just messing around. I’ll stop.”
There isn’t time to be patient or handle her gently. I plant one hand hard against the slick marble edge and jump feet first into the shallow end. Water splashes violently around me the second I hit, soaking through my clothes instantly as I surge toward her through the waves before she can say another word. The second I reach her, I wrap my arm firmly around her waist.
“Dam—”
