Intercepted Risk (Aegis Group Task Force Book 5)

by Sidney Bristol

  White marble floors sparkled against soft gray walls. She glanced into the living room and was met by more glass, white and gray.

  “Wow, I want to see the bedrooms.” Felecia grabbed Kelsey’s hand. “Come on.”

  Considering that she wanted space from Harper and Logan, Kelsey let Felecia lead her from room to room.

  Each space was unique, yet maintained the same color scheme. It made the place feel like a hotel rather than a home.

  It was the fanciest safe house she’d ever been in.

  “Can you believe this place?” Felecia dragged Kelsey into another bedroom.

  She shoved her hands into her pockets. “I feel like I shouldn’t touch anything.”

  “This place must cost a fortune. Just look at this.”

  Felecia jumped on the king sized bed. The fluffy pillows bounced with her movement.

  Kelsey was more than a little jealous of how easily Felecia adapted to all of this. Kelsey was having a harder time of it today.

  At first, she’d been so focused on just surviving that she hadn’t considered anything else. Now, the reality of their situation was sinking in.

  Who attacked the US government like this? Was this Skilton guy mad? Addled in the head? Or was he simply that powerful?

  Kelsey smacked Felecia’s calf. “Come on, let’s see what the others have found out.”

  She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “You’re no fun.”

  “Yeah, well, almost getting shot does that to me. Come on.”

  Kelsey turned and headed back to the main space of the condo.

  The guys were assembled again and their captive out of sight.

  “What have we learned?” she asked.

  Logan glanced at her, his gaze cold and hard. He was worried. Scared, even.

  She didn’t like knowing some of that worry was on her account. In fact, it pissed her off. They’d agreed they couldn’t let this thing between them impact their working relationship. She was beginning to think he wasn’t capable of that. Not in moments like these.

  “He works for a security company,” Logan said.

  “More like mercenaries,” Harper muttered.

  Logan ignored that comment. “We’ve updated Zora with what little we know. She’s sending Baruti and Samuel to pick him up and see what he’ll confess to. Chances are, he’ll be lawyered up before he arrives.”

  “Have we heard from everyone? Is everyone okay?” she asked.

  “Everyone except Joon. Baruti and Samuel are going there first, then here.”

  She nodded.

  Quinten Joon couldn’t catch a break, it seemed. Out of everyone, he probably understood her feelings the best. Yet she didn’t know him well enough to reach out.

  “For now,” Logan glanced around, “let’s get settled and make a schedule. We’ll need to sleep in shifts.”

  “I’ll take the first shift,” she said.

  There was no way in hell she was sleeping now.

  Logan nodded. “I’m going to be up for a while. At least until Jamie gets here and they pick up our guy. The rest of you should get some sleep.”

  Harper threw his hands up in the air. “Get some sleep? Really? After that? We aren’t going to—I don’t know—talk about it?”

  “What would you like to say?” Logan asked.

  “We’re still doing this?” Harper asked. “We aren’t going the fuck home?”

  “My home was just broken into. There are two dead bodies in my home. What home do you want to go back to?”

  Harper blinked a few times, then shoved his hand through his hair. “Fuck.”

  “What option do you see?” Logan asked.

  “No.” Harper shook his head. “No, you’re right. I just... Fuck. Sometimes this job is really screwed up.”

  He turned and walked down the hall toward the bedrooms.

  “He going to be okay?” Kelsey asked.

  “It’s different, having them break into your home,” Logan said softly. “Sure, we’ve been attacked where we were staying, but never our homes.”

  “It gets better,” Felecia said.

  “Come on,” Evan muttered and took her hand.

  Kelsey watched those two head toward one of the bigger bedrooms.

  She was alone with Logan. Again.

  Her thoughts and feelings were in turmoil at a time when she needed to be the most calm. Even his near presence was suffocating. All she wanted to do was think about him. And she couldn’t. Not when her job was about saving people’s lives. And especially not when their own lives could be at risk.

  “Where’s our captive?” she asked.

  “The office. Through that door.” Logan nodded at a door set into the wall. “Felecia rang his bell hard.”

  Kelsey had a hard time finding any sympathy for the man. “Well, maybe he shouldn’t have broken into their apartment and tried to kill them.”

  She crossed to the sofa and sat, one leg curled under her. She’d needed to sit, collect her thoughts and figure things out.

  Logan followed, sitting on the glass table facing her. He was just right there, in her bubble. He might not outright ask her for more, but she could feel the implied pressure.

  She glanced in the direction Harper had gone. “Is this a good idea?”

  “What?”

  “Being this close?” She looked at Logan. “Harper knows. Or suspects.”

  “So?”

  Kelsey stared at him. “So? So, right about now, I’m worried about work and our lives and what might happen next. I’m not real crazy about having all of my attention sucked up by you. And I sure as hell don’t want everyone in my business right now.”

  “You want to keep us a secret?”

  “I want privacy. And this situation does not allow that.” In fact, it felt as though the walls were closing in on her. It was a far cry from the content feeling she’d had crawling in bed not that long ago.

  “What do you want me to do?” Logan reached for her hand.

  She pulled away and said, “I don’t think this is a good idea right now.”

  The words felt good coming out of her mouth. She needed the space to catch her breath and unless she told Logan to hit the road, she wouldn’t get it.

  Logan frowned. “When did that happen?”

  “Now.” That much was the truth.

  Whatever was happening with Skilton, it was heating up and getting far more complicated. The last thing she needed was a man distracting her. What happened if she was worried about him when Felecia’s life was in danger? Or someone else? She couldn’t afraid to be distracted. Not now. Besides, she wasn’t good with relationships or feelings or any of it. And Logan deserved someone better.

  “We can slow it down,” he said.

  “I don’t want to do this. Not now. And you can’t stop trying to protect me. I’m not mad at you, but it’s clear that you let your emotions factor into your decision to risk me. And I’m not okay with that. I think it’s best if we don’t do this.” Every word was true. It didn’t stop them from hurting any less.

  Logan’s mouth opened. He reached over, placing his hand next to her knee on the sofa. “Kel. Let’s talk about this.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “No, you aren’t going to change my mind.”

  This wasn’t at all how she’d pictured things ending between them, but she couldn’t deny that she was making the best decision.

  TUESDAY. SAFE HOUSE. Washington, DC.

  Logan was in a piss poor mood and it had nothing to do with his home being violated, the attack on him or his team, or the disaster that was their current assignment. No, it was all centered on one person. Kelsey.

  He’d retreated into the narrow office in the condo to separate himself from the others while he got his head in the game. Still, all he could do was think about Kelsey.

  Where had he gone wrong? How had he screwed up this badly?

  All he’d wanted to do was check on her. That was it. He hadn’t realized she was going
to cut out his heart.

  Fuck.

  He resisted the urge to press his hand to his chest to check for a wound.

  They hadn’t spoken in a few hours, but the wounds were still fresh.

  Kelsey had faulted him for his concern for her. And here he’d congratulated himself for not being selfish and asking her to ride with Harper. Damn it, he was doing his best to adapt. Couldn’t she give him some time to adjust? Shouldn’t they be allowed time to figure things out?

  Voices drifted to his ears.

  The others were up and about.

  The day was getting underway, despite most of them being awake since the attack at two.

  Their captive was long gone, so that was one thing Logan didn’t have to worry about.

  Jamie and his girlfriend Tabby had settled in.

  Baruti and Samuel would be by again later.

  Logan had already talked with the home office at Aegis Group, updating them with what he could.

  Even Zora had communicated a little.

  For now, they were in a holding pattern which did nothing to improve his mood. At this point he was living update to update while obsessing over his imploding relationship.

  Local police were going over what was left of the headquarters. Word was accelerant had been used on each floor, creating a massive inferno. Firefighters had been forced to sit back and focus on controlling it rather than fighting it. There wasn’t much on the news, but what he had seen showed a wreck. Supposedly it would be under control soon and they’d learn more.

  There wasn’t anything about the shootout at the apartments. No word on the bodies or anything else.

  The consensus was that it was all staged.

  Skilton was targeting them now. He’d thought a coordinated assault on the building and Logan’s team would stop their interfering.

  For Logan, that interference only served to make him more focused. It was the only thing he could do. The only thing he could take an active role in.

  Unlike the break-up with Kelsey.

  Why did she get to decide they were over? Couldn’t she give him a chance to get it right?

  He knew she felt something for him. He’d looked into her eyes when she came and had seen emotion there. She was normally pretty private about her family, and yet she’d told him a lot. Maybe that was where he’d gone wrong? She’d told him her fears, and he hadn’t listened.

  Logan’s phone rang.

  Diha’s name flashed on the screen.

  He snatched it up, grateful for any distraction.

  “Yes?”

  “Logan?”

  He leaned against the window in the office and stared out at the DC morning. “Hey, Diha. What’d you find?”

  “Well, we know what company Skilton hired to attack our people,” she said.

  “Yeah? And?” He’d been expecting her to make that connection.

  “Ever heard of Everest Security?”

  He squinted at nothing. “It rings a bell.”

  “They are a small security company that operates out of a warehouse north of where you are now. Zora is making some inquiries and should get back to me soon. Overall, they look pretty shady.”

  “Not surprising.”

  “Oh, that’s Zora calling me now. I’m going to conference her in, okay?”

  Logan didn’t get a chance to answer before the line clicked. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. A moment later the phone beeped.

  “Okay, we should all be here,” Diha said. “Logan?”

  “I hear you loud and clear.”

  “Fantastic,” Zora responded. “We’re currently doing our homework on Everest. Logan, if we raid Everest’s facility, would your team be prepared to participate?”

  “Yes, ma’am. But Tucker could have told you that,” he said.

  “I’m working on warrants.” Zora said. “We’re also pushing forward with the senator’s plans for his holiday party. I don’t honestly think hosting it is a good idea, but I want to keep our options open.”

  “Understood.”

  “Do you have any recommendations for me?” Zora asked.

  “You beat me to it. Whoever is running Everest has at least communicated with Skilton’s people. They could be our way in.” He cleared his throat. “Any chance you talked to Felecia’s father? Told him about what happened?”

  “The director banned me from discussing the attack with Obran.” Zora sounded none too pleased about that.

  “He—what?” Logan didn’t understand the occasional rulings the director of the Task Force made. Hell, he’d ever even met the man.

  “I’m working within the bounds.” Zora sighed. “I may need to move people around. Tucker would be most valuable with you.”

  “I could trade him for Kelsey,” Logan suggested.

  The recommendation worked two-fold. First, it would put space between him and Kelsey. Right now he needed that if he was going to keep his head screwed on straight. Yes, that decision was playing into her bias of him, but he was only human. Second, chances were she’d be a hell of a lot safer wherever Zora was. Two birds, one stone. Maybe Kelsey had grounds to be mad at him? Or was one of them over-reacting?

  “I might take you up on that. For now, review what gear you have and let me know what you need. When we get the warrants, I want to move. Immediately.”

  “Understood.”

  Zora and Diha did a bit of talking. Logan didn’t understand what they said, but he remained on the line, regardless. Information passed to him so rarely he was going to take what he could get. Most of it was about the facility, how much intel they’d lost and what was safe. Their servers were located on a secure site with other NSA tech, so those were out of reach.

  Eventually the two women hung up, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts.

  Was he really the problem?

  Or was it possible the events of the last twenty-four hours had overwhelmed even Kelsey?

  It didn’t escape his notice that she’d come to him last night. She’d doted on him, poked fun at him and cuddled up next to him as naturally as if they’d been together for ages. And though he didn’t doubt she’d initiated sex as a way to distract herself, he’d felt a connection with her.

  What if this was Kelsey’s way of controlling an out-of-control situation? What if the break-up wasn’t actually about him at all, but instead about her?

  That made him pause.

  A strong woman unaccustomed to being emotionally overwhelmed could very likely respond by pushing people away. It made sense. A lot more than her suddenly deciding they had issues again.

  She needed time. How much did he give her? How long did he wait? And what if he was wrong?

  TUESDAY. SAFE HOUSE. Washington, DC.

  Kelsey’s insides felt like crap.

  It was like she was divided in half.

  One part of her was freaking out and a complete mess. That was the idiotic part of her that had been in control earlier when she’d wrecked everything with Logan.

  Had she really broken up with him? Had they ever been together? Could she break up with someone she wasn’t technically dating? Were they going to find Nadine? Had anyone died in the fires? Was this job too much for her? Should they cut their losses and turn away?

  Her other half was emotionless, dazed and stuck merely watching events unfold around her. That was where she was now.

  She pulled her brush through her hair and stared at her reflection. Outwardly she looked like herself, if a little worse for wear. But on the inside? She was a mess.

  After her awkward shift on watch, she’d crawled into bed and slept. Or tried to. Dozed was more like it. She’d never truly settled in, always tossing and turning. More than once she’d caught herself reaching blindly across the bed for a body that wouldn’t be there.

  What the hell was wrong with her? Why had she panicked like that?

  They’d faced worse, and yet last night had totally unhinged her.

  Why? Why was she falling apart like this?
Did she need to go back to the psychiatrist? Had they missed something?

  Someone tapped on the bedroom door.

  She blinked and forced herself to refocus despite the pain in her chest.

  “Come in,” she called out.

  It was Logan. She knew it had to be.

  Could she make this right? Should she undo what had been said? Was that wise?

  She had been right when she felt he was smothering her. He was just so big and there and taking up so much of her mind. It was hard to think about anything else, and that was a problem. People’s lives depended on her, and she was distracted. Cutting him out made sense in that regard, and yet her heart hurt.

  The door opened and Tucker stepped in.

  She turned and blinked at him. “When did you get here?”

  “Just now,” he said.

  “Oh. The warrants?” She’d heard from the others they might assist with a raid on Everest Security. At least that would have them doing something.

  He inclined his head. “Got ‘em.”

  “Good.” She blew out a breath.

  “Zora wants you to head to the secure site.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “Ride’s waiting.”

  “No. Wait. What?” She straightened. He wanted her to leave Logan? The team?

  “Zora wants one of the inner circle on site to head up security right now. We have too many high-value informants for anything to happen there.”

  She opened her mouth to refuse the order. But on what grounds? Because she didn’t want to be away from Logan? The man she’d just broken up with?

  The sense of loss she felt was sharp and all-encompassing.

  It wasn’t her place to be with Logan and his team. She wasn’t part of that, though he’d always treated her as such.

  She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Uh, um. Okay. Will I come back here tonight, or...?”

  Tucker’s face was impassive, yet she knew he must be processing her hesitation. “I imagine you’ll stay there and continue overseeing things.”

  This was Zora’s call. Kelsey couldn’t blame this on Logan, yet it felt like his doing. She’d be neatly out of the way again.

  “Let me throw my things together then,” she said.

  “I’ll let the driver know.” Tucker turned on his heel and left the room.