Chasing Fortune (Stealth Ops Book 8)

by Brittney Sahin

  “Well, since you did ask it out loud, I’d love to answer.” His hand went over her shoulder, but she couldn’t turn around, afraid she’d spew more insanity.

  She’d climbed Mount Washington.

  Swam in the Temple of Doom in Mexico.

  Crossed the Sahara.

  Faced modern-day pirates and other criminals.

  Survived a one-on-one with Carter Dominick.

  And now she was acting like a nervous fool. What had coming back home to “settle down and start a new life” done to her?

  Who was this person? She’d been just fine five minutes ago. Five minutes before Captain America came into her house looking all swoony and now dripping wet.

  Seriously, though, even when he’d been in only his swim trunks the first time she met Chris, she’d managed to keep her cool.

  “You’re always wet when I see you,” she mumbled.

  In a gentle but quick movement, Chris reached for her wrist and pulled her closer. “Why ‘no’?”

  Oh. That. “I just moved here, and I’m assuming you want me to go to—wait, where do you live?”

  “Renting a house in Virginia. Not far from D.C., though. Most of the guys live in the area. And hey, Ana and A.J. have a place nearby since Ana’s teaching a course at Quantico in January. So, you won’t be alone with me.”

  Now she was the one smiling. “Alone with you? Did you expect me to move in with you? Like a ‘full-on live with you while I help train your dog’ kind of thing?”

  A touch of red colored his cheeks just above his beard. So, he got embarrassed, too. They were in the same boat. She just didn’t want to sink. Been there and done that in both the literal and metaphorical sense.

  “I can’t move in with you.” She scanned the kitchen, searching for a reason for the strange state she was in. Her stomach churned as if she hadn’t eaten in years. Something wasn’t right. Am I going to be sick? That would be just great.

  “You don’t need to move in with me, but it’d be better if you did, so you could keep me in line with the, uh, training.”

  They were both still in wet shirts, and when his gaze dipped lower, she tried to recall what kind of bra she had on. Sheer? Thick? Any padding?

  Yeah, this was not going to work. She’d fall for both dog and owner before she was through. Surely.

  No, she and relationships were a bad mix under normal circumstances, but it could prove deadly in this case. And based on the way he was eying her, he wanted her. It’d been obvious in Alabama that night, and it was clear as day now.

  “His name is Bear. He’s a little over a year old.” He let go of her, reached for his phone, and pulled up a photo of the dog. One look and Rory knew she’d never be able to refuse.

  Bear had a mahogany tone to his coat. His eyes were brown and almond-shaped. A flat forehead with a small groove at the front. His little triangle ears stuck up, and his head was cocked to the side in an adorable way. Bear’s hair was a little longer around his neck, creating a slight mane-like effect, and his lips were black and thin. He was solid and firm. Also . . . perfect.

  Her heart ached as she looked at him. Untrainable, huh? “You’re playing unfair.”

  “If I can’t persuade you to come, maybe he can.” Chris placed his phone back into his jeans pocket. “He needs you. I’m doing all the wrong things already.”

  She pressed her back to the counter and set her palms on the granite on each side of her, hoping the sudden nausea would dissipate. What did her new neighbor put in the brownies? Did they go bad? I get a bad batch? Or was it my toast? “Like what?” she asked around the lump forming in her throat. Do not puke on this man.

  “For starters, he’s been sleeping in my bed the past five nights I’ve had him.”

  “That’s like a huge no-no in training.”

  “He’s so cute, though. How can I tell him no?”

  He had her there. He was cute. But still. “What else have you done?” At least he was distracting her from the dazed and confused feeling that’d begun sweeping over her like a tidal wave, leaving her weak-kneed and feeling as though she were seasick, which was something that never happened, thank God.

  “Home-cooking. Steak and rice. Oh, and I keep giving him rewards even though he didn’t do anything to earn them. And I had no idea what kind of leash to get, so I bought like ten different ones, but Bear doesn’t like any, so he just doesn’t wear one.”

  “All this in five days? You broke that many rules?” Her hand hit her chest and dipped beneath the wet V of her damp shirt. “Do you want him to work with you or just be your buddy? He’s totally the alpha in your relationship already.”

  He pursed his lips and shook his head. “You’re accusing me of not being an alpha?”

  She gulped when he stepped back, and she raked her gaze over his delicious body. She highly doubted he’d be anything other than alpha in the bedroom, that was for sure. His personality was playful and fun, but oh, there were layers. Many layers. And she’d want to peel them back, which would be dangerous.

  Also, maybe peel off his shirt. Check out his ass without the jeans on. See those hard ridges of his muscles. And maybe his hard . . .

  Another thought interrupted her guilty-pleasure ones. “You did all of that on purpose, didn’t you? Just to prove how badly you need me.”

  “I do need you.” The side of his mouth twitched before he pulled his brows inward.

  Maybe she needed him, too. She’d be safe with an operator, right? Not that she had wanted anyone to protect her before, but after her encounter with Carter Dominick, it might not be a bad idea.

  But it wouldn’t be fair to jeopardize Chris’s safety without him knowing what he was getting himself into with her.

  “If I do this, if I take your dog on as my first client, there’s something you need to know about me.” Her body shuddered as a strange warmth spilled inside of her.

  “What is it, Rosemary?”

  So, he knew her given name. No one called her that except her mom when she was in trouble or in church.

  “There are, um, some people that will want to kill me if they find out who and where I am. I don’t want to endanger you.” Did I just admit that?

  He angled his head as if he hadn’t heard her right. Maybe she could backpedal. Get out of this insane conversation. “Who would want you dead and . . .” He removed his hat at the bomb she’d dropped.

  His soft, expressive eyes hardened with concern. Operator mode. A switch had been flipped. A clear and present danger evident. And like her former military brother, she knew that look.

  He saw a problem he needed to fix.

  But this was her mess.

  And there was only one way out of it.

  Hide, hope, and put her old life behind her.

  He’d been there for no more than fifteen minutes, and now he knew her secret.

  But her forearm tightened over her stomach, and her body became damp. Chills coated her skin. “Oh, no.” Her eyes fell to the homemade chocolate brownies on the counter. “I’m high,” she said before gasping. Why the hell did it take me so long to realize? She’d only tried edibles once and vowed never to go near them again. “I-I can’t get high.”

  “Huh?”

  She pointed to the dish of brownies on the counter by the bread box. “My neighbor came over and said he made me a homemade recipe of brownies. He winked when he said they were extra special, but I thought he was flirting. I didn’t understand he was letting me know they were laced with something.”

  “You’re pale.” He went for her forearm, pulling her closer. “You sick?”

  She nodded. But that explained her irrational behavior. And why she’d stumbled through her words and became delirious with desire. Oh, and the munchies. “I don’t do well when I’m high,” she whispered. “Someone insisted I eat edibles in Costa Rica once, but instead of being chill, I turned into a chatterbox and puked for hours. I don’t know if it’s an allergy thing, but—” She flung her hand to her mouth, r
ealizing this gorgeous man was going to see her throw up all the “special” brownies in about two seconds. “Be back!” She pulled away and took off.

  Please make it in time.

  She darted up the stairs, clutching her stomach with one hand and mouth with the other.

  Two doors down on the right was her bedroom. Make it. Make it.

  A second later, she slammed the door shut behind her and hugged the toilet in shame.

  A few minutes after her stomach was empty, she heard from behind, “Hey, I know you might feel awkward, but let me help you.”

  She was too out of it to even tell him no. Had he picked the lock to get in? She could’ve sworn she’d locked it. A damp hand towel pressed to her cheeks, then her forehead from where she clung to the porcelain toilet for dear life.

  He must have been on his knees. Hovering over or behind her.

  Chris wrapped his strong arms around her, then stood with her in his arms.

  She clutched the towel he’d used on her skin to her mouth, her eyes wide with humiliation, but she was too exhausted to protest.

  Only a beautiful warmth and concern was in his gaze as he carried her into her bedroom.

  “I got you, Rosemary. Don’t you worry.”

  Chapter Four

  Chris stood in the kitchen and eyed the dish of brownies on the counter, his nostrils flaring. Who in the hell gave someone baked goods laced with drugs as a Welcome to the neighborhood gift? Grabbing the dish angrily, he dumped the brownies in the trash, set the glass dish in her sink, and reached to turn on the faucet. No water. Right.

  He cupped his mouth, trying to wrap his head around the unexpected turn of events. He’d come to hire Rory for a job, and now it looked like she needed him even more.

  People want to kill her. Did her brother know this?

  He crouched and went beneath the sink. His dad had run his own plumbing business in Boston, so Chris knew his way around pipes.

  His mind blew through a half dozen scenarios where Rory could’ve gotten herself into trouble over the years while treasure hunting. She said she didn’t hunt for lost treasure anymore, but what had she been doing? And why’d she suddenly decide to leave that life to train dogs?

  He’d be needing answers, but he’d give her time to recover from the brownies.

  After he fixed the sink, he cleaned up and went out to his rental Dodge Ram to call Harper in privacy.

  “She say yes?” Harper answered after picking up.

  He slung his forearm over the wheel and pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand, eyes closing. “I don’t know.” She issued a warning and then threw up.

  Harper chuckled. “Go that well, huh?”

  He lifted his chin at the sound of something falling to the floor in the background. “You got company?”

  “I’m at Emily’s helping put together the party for the newlyweds. Who, by the way, are going to kill us later,” she answered. “Liam just dropped some expensive vase, and he’s cursing like a sailor.”

  Liam and Emily lived in D.C. with their two children. Emily had given Chris an earful about ensuring he made it back to the surprise post-wedding party she was throwing for A.J. and Ana since the couple had only recently revealed that they’d eloped over the summer.

  “Better an expensive vase than his baby.” He sat upright and eyed Rory’s two-story brick house. He didn’t like the idea she was in the middle of nowhere, and yet, her neighbor, who couldn’t be very close given Chris didn’t spy any houses nearby, had managed to show up at her door and drop off drugged baked goods.

  Maybe he ought to do a trace on the brownies. Make sure they didn’t contain anything other than pot. Also, run a background check on the neighbor. On second thought, maybe he should include everyone within a five-mile radius. Yeah, that’d be a good idea.

  “You’re going to make it back in time for the little shindig tomorrow night, right? I’m sure A.J. and Ana would love it if Rory came with you.”

  “Is A.J.’s family coming this weekend?” A.J. had a huge Southern family, but Ana’s parents died when she was sixteen, and she had no other living relatives. Chris related more to Ana than A.J. even though his parents were both alive.

  “Nah, they’re planning their own thing. Probably a huge town event.” She paused. “Hold on. Elaina wants to FaceTime.”

  “Hey! How are you and Bear doing?” he asked once Elaina’s face filled the screen.

  She backed up a little and circled an arm around his new dog. “I’m spoiling him rotten,” Elaina announced with a big smile. “I’m going to miss him when you take him back home.”

  His smirk stretched, momentarily forgetting about his worries with Liam’s daughter onscreen. She was such a great kid. She emanated the presence and wisdom of an old soul. Wise was putting it mildly. The girl was more than just Einstein-smart. She was also eerily prophetic. “You’ll be able to visit him anytime. Plus, when he can’t come on a job with us—”

  “He’ll stay with me!” Elaina hugged Bear, and Chris laughed when the goofy canine nuzzled her face with his nose. And if Elaina had a good feeling about him, then Chris knew Bear was the right dog for the teams.

  “How’s Rory?” Liam crouched into view of the screen behind Elaina and rubbed Bear’s head.

  “She’s good,” he forced out, remaining vague.

  “Yeah, well, don’t lay the charm on too thick. We need her. This dog,” Liam said in a soft voice as if speaking to his baby, Jackson, instead of Bear, “really needs proper training, and we can’t do it.”

  “I know. I know.” And we also need to help Rory.

  “Uncle Chris,” Elaina said when Liam’s wife called him away, and he left the screen, “I think she needs you just as much as you need her.” She winked after her cryptic words. “See you both tomorrow!” She handed the phone back to Harper and left him sitting in the truck, attempting to shake off the chills flying up his spine.

  “So, why are you really calling?” Harper asked while staring at a bright orange spool of ribbon in her hand, a scowl on her lips as if she’d rather be breaking into an unhackable database, or well, jamming out to music on the roof of their office building in New York like she did whenever she needed to take a moment. Harper wasn’t a fan of being crafty, and Chris was fairly certain Emily hadn’t been either until she’d become a mom to Elaina.

  Chris shifted uncomfortably on the leather. “Can you do a little digging on Rory for me?”

  “Like a background check to make sure we can trust her?” She scoffed. “You’re kidding, right?”

  He patted the air. “Don’t let them hear you, and no, not a background check. I need to know what Rory has been up to since college.” He felt all kinds of wrong asking Harper for help, but he figured Rory wouldn’t have spilled such ominous news were it not for the brownies she’d eaten. And he had no doubt she’d be a steel trap from now on. He and the guys were typically closemouthed about their lives, so he couldn’t blame her.

  “I’m not looking her up.” Harper set the ribbon down and walked out of Liam’s living room.

  “She might be in trouble. But don’t say anything to A.J. or the others until I know more.” He knew Harper wouldn’t help him without a damn good reason. “Please.”

  “And what gave you the idea she’s in trouble?” Her tone was a few notes softer this time.

  “Because she told me if anyone found out her identity, she’d be killed.” He tensed at the thought. Every muscle locking tight. “Then, she puked. So, that’s all I know.”

  “She threw up?” Harper was quiet for a moment, giving him a confused look. And when he didn’t elaborate, she added, “This is unexpected.”

  “But is it?” He reached for the door handle. “Our lives are never ordinary.” The last thing he wanted to hear was that the woman he’d been obsessing over for three months was in trouble, her life in danger.

  “I’ll see what I can find out, but if A.J. doesn’t know this—”

  “He jus
t started operating again. And we’re celebrating his marriage this weekend. Let’s not rush to worry him until we know more. Okay?” Chris pleaded, hoping he was making the right decision.

  “And what are you planning to do next?”

  “Get her to come to Virginia with me so that she can train Bear, and so I can keep an eye on her.”

  “I figured you’d say that.” Harper held the phone in front of her face to find his eyes. “I, um, heard what Elaina said to you.”

  His stomach squeezed at the memory. She needs you just as much as you need her. “Yeah, so I think that’s enough to make you realize that—”

  “She’s in danger,” Harper finished for him with a nod. “Okay. I’ll get back to you.”

  “Thanks.” He ended the call and scrolled through his contacts for Rory’s brother’s number. Jesse had given him his digits at the bachelor party back in June.

  As soon as A.J. had seen Chris’s reaction at the sight of Rory, he’d warned Chris that Jesse wasn’t someone to mess with. He was protective and a fighter like Bravo Three, using his fists instead of his mouth to handle situations. Although Asher was a bit tamer now that he was married with kids. Well, as long as no one threatened those he loved.

  Here goes.

  After two rings, Jesse picked up.

  “You piss off my sis?” Jesse asked straight away, and Chris wasn’t sure if it’d been a joke or not.

  “No, but she’s not feeling well,” Chris answered. “Apparently, her new neighbor laced those brownies he gave her with drugs. I’m guessing you didn’t have any since you seem to be fine. I’m about to pay the guy a visit, but I figured you should know and that you might want to come with.”

  Jesse was stone-cold quiet for a moment before replying in a deep voice, “Be right there.”

  “You didn’t kill him, did you?” Rory clutched a cup of chamomile tea, her knees pinned to her chest as she sat on the couch in her living room.

  Some color had returned to her cheeks since she’d woken up and taken a shower, but he hated she was also wearing a soft shade of embarrassment. She didn’t need to feel bad about throwing up, but if she was a touch crimson from her admission about the danger she was in, well, that was a conversation she wouldn’t be able to avoid.