by Em Petrova
“So you know what you have to do, Elise?” Bo followed her into her closet. She dropped her robe and stood in only bra and panties. Wearing such sexy garments in the presence of any other man than her ex-husband would be dangerous to her mission of actually leaving the house and intercepting this message. But she and Bo had an understanding.
She drew two dresses off the hanging bar, a red and a black, and held them up for him. “Which one?”
“Red. It hugs your ass better.” He spoke without a bit of heat in his tone. Dressing in front of him was like hanging out with a buddy in the locker room, shooting the breeze after a workout.
She put the black dress back on the bar and removed the red one from the hanger. Stepping into it, she said, “Of course I know what I have to do.”
“Find the blonde. Remember, she’s five-nine.” He eyed Elise as if sizing up if she and this blonde would fit together.
“You’re a sick fucker, you know that, Bo? I’m not finding the blonde to make out with her.”
“If you do, make sure you get video.”
She rolled her eyes. He’d always found two girls going at it to be hot—typical man with coed cheerleader fantasies. Elise had never been into it, which was just one of many things they did not have in common. Why she’d ever married him was always a question mark in her mind.
Then again, they did work well together. Paired on a case, they were unstoppable. Somehow that had translated into a relationship that never should have happened. They were much better as partners and dare she say it? Friends.
She turned, presenting her back to him. “Zip me up.”
He did so without the lingering touches of a former lover or a man who had interest in anything about her besides ensuring she followed his orders. She spun to face him again and found he had two pairs of high heels chosen for her and sitting side by side on the carpet.
“I prefer the silver,” he said.
“They pinch my toes. I’ll go with the black.”
“Good choice. You have to be able to run in them.”
She met his gaze. Damn, he was a handsome son of a bitch. Tall, dashing, with dark eyes that could bruise they looked so deeply. It was no wonder she’d fallen for him, and now he seemed determined to sleep with as many women as possible just to prove he could.
Not that Elise cared.
She slipped on the black heels with a cluster of rhinestones on the toes. “Jewelry?”
“Nothing too flashy.”
She grinned. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re gay.”
“The term is metrosexual. A man who loves clothes doesn’t have to be gay. Now. Repeat your instructions.”
She rolled her eyes and went to her bedroom to rummage through her jewelry. Bo followed, his heavy combat boots and dark clothing looking out of place in her frilly bedroom.
“I go to the party. I find the blonde. Not to have a pillow fight with her,” she added when he grinned. “I watch who she speaks to and then I intercept any messages.”
“What if it’s not written on paper? If nothing is exchanged?”
She reached into her bra and pulled out a bug device no bigger than the head of a pin. “I bump into her—stop looking at me that way, you pervert—and plant this. Then I listen to the conversations she has.” She looped a rhinestone necklace over her head. “I’ll have the code cracked and be home eating that new pint of Ben and Jerry’s by midnight.”
“And what’s your backup plan if that doesn’t work?”
“I use my firmware to clone her phone. No one is immune to hacking.”
Bo drifted closer to her. “Good. Your perfume smells great. Always loved it. But tell me what you’ll do if you’re made.”
Giving him a blank stare, she said, “Then I use the Smith and Wesson strapped to my thigh.”
“Damn, girl. Let me see.” He reached for her hem.
She batted him away. “I can handle this, Bo. Now do I look like I fit into this event?”
He assessed her, dark eyes roving from her shiny waves to her stilettos. “Perfectly. You know a lot’s riding on you.”
“Always is.” She flashed him a grin and went on tiptoe to kiss his beard-roughened cheek. “Eww. You need a shave.”
“The ladies eat up the five o’clock shadow.” He waggled his brows.
“TMI. Okay, I’m off.” She grabbed her small black evening bag that held breath mints and a passport in case things really went south.
At the door, Bo caught her by the elbow and swung her back to face him. “Be careful, Elise.”
The warmth of having a friend like him on her side bloomed in her chest. They were always there for each other, even if they couldn’t run a life together.
“I will. See you on the other side.”
Chapter Two
“Holy shit. This is going to take months of work to crack.” Elise shook her head at the information running over the computer screen.
“We don’t have months.” Her superior officer sat in shadows, which was fine because his disguise was nothing to look at. He appeared to be a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and glasses, though she guessed he didn’t look like this at all. She only knew him as Hart.
“I’ll do my best, work long hours. But I don’t think I can get through all of this information in the time you need it.”
“We’ll get you help. But you have to understand how sensitive this information is. The message you intercepted was far beyond what we ever expected. This,” he waved a hand at the screen, “is top priority.”
She stared at the series of letters and numbers that seemed like simple notes to friends or even grocery lists but, carried to the wrong person, would be deadly to the US population. A thrill went through her—this was what she lived for, and she’d never had a project so big or important before.
Hart stood and she did too, keeping her post by the computer, eager to dig in. “I’ll find you that help you need.”
“Thank you, sir.” She waited till the door closed behind him before dropping back into her seat. “Jesus,” she breathed as she stared at the information. First thing she had to do was—
The door opened again, and she heard the familiar sound of Bo’s boots. She barely glanced up as he hovered over her, a hand planted on the desk.
“You did amazing, Elise. This intel is invaluable.”
“I know.” She gave a small shake of her head. “And getting it was so easy too. It makes me wonder if they wanted us to find it.”
“Like it’s a decoy to throw us off?”
She nodded. But a string of words on the screen caught her eye, and her mind removed certain letters, rearranged, and came out with something else that had another meaning.
She reached for her keyboard and tapped out what she’d just cracked.
Bo released a low whistle. “Damn. I’ll never stop being amazed by how your mind works. If only…”
She looked up into his eyes. “Yeah, we’re better this way.”
“Yeah.”
Feeling an odd tension in her lower belly, she returned her attention to the screen. “I’ve got a lot of work to do, Bo.”
“They’re sending someone to help you.” The tight tone of his voice roused her from the words on the screen. She studied the crease between his brows.
“Do you know who they’re sending?”
“I can guess.”
She arched a brow in a care-to-fill-me-in way.
A muscle leaped in the crease of his angular jaw. “Knight.”
She blinked. “As in Knight Ops?”
“Yeah. One of the brothers is the one who hacked the Pentagon as a teen. Got recruited straight to working for the government and then got ‘bored,’ as it’s told, and joined the Marines like his brothers.”
“That kid is a Knight?”
“Yeah.” He didn’t look like he was stomaching it very well, and she wondered if his own cocky pride was threatened by men like the Knights who were gaining notoriety faster
than any special ops team in the world.
Bo ran a hand over his face, creating a rasping noise. He still hadn’t shaved and now that she looked closer, it appeared he hadn’t gotten any sleep. Either he’d been occupied with one of his special lady friends or he’d been up all night waiting for news from her.
She pushed out a sigh. Their relationship was more complicated than she admitted to, but the bottom line was that love wasn’t involved—at least not in the familiar sense of the word. She loved Bo like a best friend, if not a brother, though she could still admire how handsome he was. And how he was always there for her in all ways proved the depth of his feelings.
She’d do anything for him as well, and he knew it.
Resting a hand on his bulging forearm, she said, “You don’t need to worry about me working with another guy. I can hold my own against the cockiest of men.”
He laughed, even if it sounded far too gritty. He couldn’t be… jealous, could he? No, of course not. He was just being protective of her, like a big brother over his younger sister.
“It’s not you I’m worried about, Elise. I know you can grab a man by the balls, twist and pull faster than someone could lay hands on you. It’s just…” He trailed off, looking into her eyes. “Forget it. I know you’ve got this.” He stood and made for the door.
Typical man skirting the issues and running for his life.
No matter—she had work to do anyway. She turned back to the screen. Over her shoulder, she said, “Close the door behind you, Bo. I’ll call you later.”
He grunted but she ignored him, too engrossed in the challenge on the screen before her. She cracked her fingers and hovered the tips over the keyboard as her brain flooded with codes.
* * * * *
“Is that steak I smell burning on the grill?” Sean asked as he entered the kitchen.
“Oh damn!” His younger sister, Tyler, dashed for the back door and the deck where the grill was located.
“Tyler! You were supposed to keep watch on the steaks!” their mother called after her.
Sean crossed the kitchen and dropped a kiss to his maman’s cheek. “Sorry I’m late.”
She compressed her lips and gave him the eye, letting him know he wasn’t getting anything past the woman who’d raised him. Not that he expected to. “Your brothers said you might be bringing someone to dinner.”
“They’re wrong. It’s just me.” He’d spent time with—okay, slept with—two other women since Ali, but they were mediocre at best. Not one rocked his world, but then again, he wasn’t looking for permanent, was he?
His other sister, Tyler’s twin Lexi, came to squeeze Sean around the shoulders. He hadn’t seen her in too many days and couldn’t help but notice the gleam in her eyes. He let out a groan and held Lexi away from him.
“Please tell me you don’t have a new boyfriend.”
She gave him a small, angelic smile she only whipped out when she needed to quiet her brothers’ growls, but fact was that Lexi had terrible taste in men. Her last boyfriend had attempted to clean out her bank account, and since Lexi had suffered from a lack of oxygen during her birth and, consequently, a lack of talent for numbers, she hadn’t realized until too late.
But Sean had personally overseen the mission to hunt down the boyfriend and teach him a lesson, with the help of Chaz, Dylan and Roades.
Colonel Jackson’s words echoed in his head… You’re damn good at strategy, Knight.
“Sean, leave your sister alone and go rescue those steaks,” Maman said.
Shooting Lexi a pointed look that said he wasn’t done with this, he went onto the deck. It wrapped the cabin on two sides and the waters of the Louisiana swamps glittered in the sunlight. He dragged in a deep breath of the familiar scents of Spanish moss and bracken—and charring beef.
“Let me in there.” He shouldered his way to the grill, and Tyler passed him the tongs.
“You’re welcome to it, bro. Have fun.”
At the end of the dock, his three brothers were kicked back with beers. Dahlia sat on Ben’s knee, sipping a wine cooler. And their pére was gazing out over the bayou while talking with his brothers.
Sean got the steaks off the grill and checked them. None of the Knights liked their meat mooing at them and preferred them cooked medium, but these were blackened on the outside and definitely done more than they liked.
His ears pricked up on the conversation at the other end of the deck.
“Jackson Hole. Your maman has always wanted to go there,” their father said.
“Does she know?” Dahlia asked, a smile on her pretty face.
Their father shook his head, his own smile in place. “Gonna surprise her after supper. Think she’ll take to a getaway for our anniversary?”
Ben snorted. “If I know Maman, she won’t want to leave her hellion daughters to their own devices, but they’re old enough to do for themselves.”
“I heard that.” Tyler strode over to clap Ben on the ear, sending Dahlia into giggles. “Lexi and I can manage ourselves, thank you very much. We aren’t kids anymore.”
Looking at his tall, curvy sister wearing cutoffs that would rock the worlds of too many men, Sean would agree.
He waved the tongs at his family. “I agree—the girls will be fine. Whatever goes down with their love lives, I’m out of it. Unless some kind of heist is involved, and then I’ve got enough zip-ties and toolbox space to handle the problem.”
His brothers all stared at him and Tyler shook her head. “Should we be hearing this, Sean? I thought your jobs are confidential.”
He threw her a wink and carried the platter to the table. He barely set it down when a phone buzzed—a sound that was foreign out here without cell towers or electric.
Sean’s gaze locked on Ben. Dahlia leaped off his lap as if that buzz had been a gigantic wasp stinging her in the backside. Ben withdrew the satellite phone from his back pocket, his stare locked on his fiancée as he answered.
“Knight.” He listened for a second and then jammed his fingers through his too-long, not remotely military regulation hair. “Fuck. Now?”
Chaz, Dylan and Roades stood, at the ready. Sean’s stomach growled at the scent of steaks, which he’d probably be missing out on if the look on Ben’s face was anything to go by.
“Fine. We’re leaving now.” Ben tossed a look at each of the Knight Ops team.
“Oh no. You’ll miss Pere’s announcement to Maman,” Tyler said faintly.
Ben pocketed the phone. “We gotta roll,” he said to the team before reaching for Dahlia. He cradled her face in his hands and said something to her softly that made Sean turn away.
Sean was first to embrace his father and Tyler. Then he strode back inside the cabin to kiss his mother and Lexi. The worst thing about these missions was the leave-taking and seeing the looks on all of his loved ones’ faces made him question whether he ever wanted a wife and family of his own. His safe return was never guaranteed.
Maman ran onto the deck, tendrils of her graying dark hair loose from her ponytail. “Now? You boys didn’t get to eat!”
“I’m sorry, Maman.” Ben kissed her cheek.
Chaz picked up a steak between two fingers and took a bite. Chewing, he came forward to pull Tyler’s hair. “It’s burnt but you can practice while our parents are away.”
“What? Away! What are you talking about, Chaz Knight?” Maman whirled to look at her husband, who was wearing a Kiss the Cook apron, even though he wasn’t cooking, as far as Sean could see.
Their father cleared his throat. “Guess it has to be a rushed announcement. I know you’ve always wanted to go to Jackson Hole, cher, and we’ll be going next week for our anniversary.”
“Oh my!” She flew into his arms, and Sean was grateful for the happy moment to carry with the four of them as they left the family for God-knew-what destination.
Within minutes, they’d used the pirogue to cross the bayou and were back on dry land. They didn’t have the Knight Ops SUV so t
he only option was Dylan’s compact car.
“How the fuck do you fit in this thing?” Sean asked as he smacked his head when ducking under the doorframe to get in the back seat.
Dylan grinned. “I have enough leg room.” His seat was pushed the whole way back, leaving Sean’s knees pinned to his chest.
The ride from the cabin seemed to drag on. Ben could only tell them they had a security breach and major crisis, but that he didn’t know much else. And that Colonel Jackson hadn’t even been the one to call—it had been an Air Force general.
“Tell me we’re not picking up a flyboy on top of our squid,” Chaz said, referring to Rocko, their only team member who wasn’t a Knight and also happened to be Navy.
“I don’t know,” Ben said, staring out the windshield, lost in his own thoughts. Sean exchanged a look with his brothers. He couldn’t help but feel his big brother’s soul was back on that dock with the woman he loved.
* * * * *
“This is Air Force shit. Why is this our problem?” Sean’s question hung in the air of the conference room, where they were seated waiting to hear all the details of the shit-storm that was about to hit them.
Ben shot him a look. “Because we’re closer. Barksdale Air Force base is practically in our back yard.”
Chaz smacked the top of the table with a palm. “Damn!”
Everyone directed their attention to his random outburst.
“I had a date tomorrow.”
“You mean booty call.” Dylan smirked.
“It’s not a booty call if I bring takeout, dickhead.”
“Oh, forgive me. Then it’s dinner and a fuck. Does that constitute a date in your mind?” Dylan arched a brow.
Chaz gave him a flat stare. Each of the Knights were damn good at giving intimidating looks, but Chaz could make a man’s balls shrivel almost more than Ben could. “We’re keeping it on the down-low.”
“Does that mean she’s married?”
“I don’t cheat, you asshole. We just can’t let anything get out. Because of her position.”
“Missionary,” Rocko and Roades said at the same time, and then bumped knuckles.
Sean grinned but his mind was working over the puzzle. Chaz was tossing breadcrumbs, and nobody was picking them up.
