Page 33 of Avenging Angel

I stop on the bottom step of the cabin stairs and lean against the post, my breath coming out in puffs of white vapor. “It took the CIA ten years of collecting intelligence before they found Osama bin Laden, one of the most dangerous and notorious terrorists we’ve ever known. So, yes. It’s not only possible, but probable. If the missing girls had their appearances changed, so much so that even their ears were altered, then absolutely. And don’t forget your teammate and my sister’s fiancé, Jaxon. They were partners for years before he went undercover with the DEA. After his surgery, she didn’t recognize him until he told her the truth about who he is now. I know that’s not what you want to hear….”

“It’s not, but it does make Bennett a bit more trustworthy in my eyes than he was ten seconds ago,” Daisy says.

“I wouldn’t go that far. He is CIA, after all.” I wink.

It takes Owen nearly an hour to get my laptop up and running and reconnect the feeds from the security cameras. Bennett appears mildly impressed with the system when he finds out that the feeds are encrypted and the cameras can store two weeks of data without a network connection.

We watch Bennett on the screen do exactly what he said he did. He pulls out a small device, floods the perimeter alarm’s operating frequency with interference, and forces it into a reconnection cycle. He walks into the cabin, takes a quick look around, and then goes back outside, where he waits for us for nearly half an hour.

“You didn’t search the cabin,” Daisy mumbles. “Why didn’t you just say so, Officer Gray?”

“I did, but you didn’t believe me,” Bennett remarks. Then, for politeness’s sake, he adds, “And please, call me Bennett. We’re partners now, and Officer Gray sounds so formal. May I call you Daisy? It’s such a lovely name.”

Not appreciating the flirtatious tone, I say, “You can call us whatever you want as long as you start with the truth.”

The corner of Bennett’s mouth lifts. “Let me go get my briefcase. Daisy, would you care to join me on the little jaunt?”

“I’ll go with you,” Scott says. “I need to unload our equipment from the vehicle.”

“Well, you’re not the insanely beautiful company I was hoping for as an escort,” Bennett quips.

Owen stands up and fluffs the curling edges of his hair. “If beauty is what you want, then I’ll go with you. I’ll meet you outside in just a moment. I need to have a private word with my sister first.”

Vinny and Scott escort Bennett outside without waiting for Owen. I’m not sure if Owen intends for me to leave as well, but I don’t plan to make a move until he says otherwise.

“Whatever you’re about to say, don’t,” Daisy says before her brother can get a word in edgewise.

“You don’t even know what it is.”

Daisy huffs. “I don’t have to. It’s going to be some overprotective brotherly advice that I don’t need.”

Owen shoulders the rifle he had resting against the desk. “You know me so well. That also means you know I’m going to say what I have to say regardless. It’s about the current sleeping arrangements. I’m not comfortable with them. Why don’t you move in with Scott and me while Vinny moves in with Angel? There’s an extra bedroom at Vinny’s place where you’ll have your privacy.”

My brows furrow at the implication that I’d do anything untoward, as do Daisy’s. She gestures to the bed taking up a quarter of the studio cabin, then to the couch with folded blankets and a pillow next to it. “I’m fine right where I’m at, and Angel has been nothing but a gentleman by sleeping on the sofa. You have nothing to worry about, Owen.”

His offer makes sense, and I’m a little surprised that Daisy doesn’t take him up on it. I was honest with her about my intentions for the shared space, forcing us to talk about my blunder after the kiss I can’t stop thinking about. Since we’ve had that conversation, there’s no reason for us to continue occupying the same space.

I’m about to tell her as much, but then she says, “I trust Angel as much as I trust you, Owen, with my life.”

Owen’s eyes meet mine, looking for any sign that I’m not the stand-up guy I’ve always tried to be. “I trust you’ll protect my sister’s life, Angel. That’s not what concerns me. It’s her heart. You broke it once. There won’t be a second time. You got me? If you kiss her again, you better mean it.”

I raise my hands to placate him. “I meant it the first time. But you have my word, Owen. The next time I kiss Daisy…”

Daisy mutters under her breath, “There’s that optimism again.”

“…it will be because she kisses me first,” I finish.

Owen nods and walks toward the door. He opens it, turns around, and leaves me with a parting quip. “Then you won’t have a problem with me putting up a camera.”

Daisy shoves him out the front door. “Stop being a turd, Owen, and remember one thing. When you find the girl of your dreams, there will be payback! So have your fun now because I’ll have mine later.”

Once she shuts the door and it’s just the two of us, Daisy leans against it and sighs. “Ignore him. He’s just messing with you.”

I chuckle. “He’s serious, and I don’t blame him one bit. I pretty much told Jaxon the same thing, giving him the ‘if you hurt my sister’ speech. It didn’t work on him either. But I wasn’t kidding, Daisy. The next time our lips meet, it will be because you choose for it to happen.”

And if I have my way, it won’t be our last.

Chapter thirteen