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“Sorry,” Doug said. “Got the notebook?”
She handed him the computer. “You’re supposed to call if things change. That’s protocol.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes you have to be a little more adaptable,” he said, his tone dismissive. Natalie gritted her teeth. Damn, she missed her old handler. But bitching about it wouldn’t do anything but make their working relationship worse. Thankfully, Doug was focused on the notebook and didn’t seem to notice her reaction. He flipped the small computer upside down and stared at the label on the bottom. “How old is this thing?”
“Three, maybe four years old.” She crossed her arms. “Any new intel on Arrieta?”
“No.” Doug tucked the computer under his arm and narrowed his gaze. “How’s your brother-in-law?”
She did her best not to show her discomfort at the question. “He’s not important.”
A distincttsk tskcame from the end of the alleyway, followed by the hulking shadows of four huge men. “Really, Duchess.” Kyle moved in closer. Close enough for Natalie to see just how pissed he was by the glint in his eyes. “I think I’m pretty important.”
Guilt stabbed her in the chest before she tamped it down. She had a job to do, and she’d followed orders. Kyle, of all people, should understand that. Too bad her actions had most likely ruined any chances they might’ve had for a reconciliation. But who was she kidding? There had never been any chance of that in the first place. That thought hurt more than she cared to admit, so she fell back on her old standby, sarcasm. “Youareimportant, Kyle. Believe in yourself.”
Snickers rang out from the rest of the SEAL team.
“Ouch, dude!” Scotty pointed his weapon at Doug’s temple while he retrieved the notebook from the other man’s grasp. “She burned your ass good, Kyle.”
“Yes,” Kyle whispered, leaning in so Natalie felt his warm breath on her cheek, her neck. “You always were too hot to handle, weren’t you, Duchess?”
“I’ve told you not to call me that,” she hissed, warring between her need to get the hell away from here and her desire to press in closer. “How did you find me?”
He slid his hand into the back pocket of her jeans, and she bit back a gasp as his long fingers gently cupped her butt through the soft fabric before withdrawing. Kyle grinned and held up a tiny metal device no bigger than the head of a nail. “Tracker.”
Great. Her brain had been so dazzled by his naked glory this morning, she hadn’t realized she was being tagged. She couldn’t believe she’d missed it.
Doug caught her eye and gave her a disdainful look, then shook his head. Next thing she knew, tires screeched nearby.
Soon sirens joined in, and realization dawned on Kyle’s face. He turned to his team. “Guys, get the hell out of here. Keep that notebook safe until Hayley can hack into those files. Go. Now!”
“What about you?” Spencer asked. “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“You guys go, and I’ll cover your back,” he said, moving in front of Natalie. “That computer is all that’s important. Get gone! Before the cops get here.”
“Cops?” Gage asked. “Who called the cops?”
Doug waved and grinned. “They’re not cops—they’re agents.”
Gage shook his head, his expression disgusted as he looked at Natalie. “Some things never change. The job always comes first, doesn’t it? Screw anyone who gets in your way.”
His words stung more than she cared to admit, but there wasn’t time to argue with him. The SEALs disappeared around the end of the alley moments before agents swarmed in.
Kyle grabbed on to a nearby fire escape ladder and started to climb up, then stopped. He gazed down at Natalie, and her breath caught. “Wish I could say it was nice seeing you again, Duchess.”
“Same here.” She shook off an unwanted pang of sadness and squinted up at him. “See you around, Kyle.”
He vanished up the ladder with amazing speed for a man his size.
“Stop or I’ll shoot!” An agent ran up and grabbed the same ladder. The agent scrambled up to the roof, followed by several reinforcements, and soon the sounds of a scuffle echoed down in the alleyway—but Natalie noticed that everyone seemed focused on Kyle and no one was heading in the direction the rest of the team had taken. Apparently, Kyle’s plan to cover his team’s escape had worked.
Several shots were fired, then silence.
Nick had been taken away from her too soon. If the same happened to Kyle while she stood by and did nothing, she wasn’t sure she could live with herself.
Thankfully, minutes later, the agents from the rooftop banged out of a side exit and back into the alleyway with a pissed-off, handcuffed Kyle in tow.
Only once she saw Kyle was healthy and whole did Natalie’s mind whirl back into action. “Wait!” she said, frowning at her handler. “Arresting him wasn’t part of the plan. We didn’t discuss this.”
