Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

He nodded. Dylan understood exactly what Rachel meant. He’d been there before on plenty of other missions. He also knew that while it was easy to wash the blood away, the memory wouldn’t fade anytime soon.

“William Harris hired Jack to kill Patterson. I know he wasn’t an innocent but...” She swallowed. “I wish things could’ve ended differently for him.”

So did Dylan. He could have made William Harris talk. They would have been closer to unmasking Jack. Instead—

He slipped away from me again.

Dylan cleared his throat. “Go shower. I’ll wait for you in the den.” Because if he stood there in her bedroom, with her scent around him any longer, he was going to crack.

He’d take her in his arms.

He’d kiss her.

He’d make her his.

Dylan slipped past her. The image of Rachel wet, naked, in that shower was already making the tension flood through his body. He was so close to the one thing he wanted most. So close.

“Dylan...”

He stopped at her door. His hand curled around the door frame, his knuckles whitening. “Shower first,” he said, and was surprised by the gravel-roughness of his voice. “Then...”

Then I’m taking you.

He didn’t say that. But maybe, maybe he didn’t have to.

Dylan stalked out of the room before his control shredded. He wanted to be in that shower with her, but after what had happened, he knew she’d need a few minutes to herself. A man had died right in front of her. Hell, yes, that would shake anyone up—even a woman as tough as Rachel.

He found himself in her den. Pacing. A fast glance at the clock showed him that it was nearing 10:00 p.m.

And Rachel hasn’t eaten. The sudden thought shot through his head.

He stilled. He hadn’t eaten. She hadn’t. They’d been too busy at the crime scene. Too busy chasing leads that hadn’t taken them to Jack.

He could hear the roar of the shower. Rachel was in there. Naked. Wet.

He swallowed. She had to be starving. And, for what he wanted to happen between them that night, the woman would need her strength.

The kitchen wasn’t exactly his area of expertise, so Dylan entered the room cautiously. When it came to cooking, he was woefully behind Rachel. The woman usually took pity on him. She’d bring over dinner to his place at least three times a week. Lasagna or her killer spaghetti. Garlic bread that melted in his mouth.

He opened her refrigerator. It wasn’t going to be pretty and it sure wouldn’t be up to Rachel’s usual standards, but he’d have a meal ready for her by the time she exited the shower.

* * *

DYLAN FOXX WOULD DIE.

Jack stared at the lights in Rachel’s apartment. That guy was up there with her.

Jack should have been the one with Rachel. He was the o

ne she loved. Not the EOD agent.

The EOD. They’d been a thorn in his side for too long. They actually thought they could stop him? Him? He was unstoppable. A force of nature.

The government had made him, honed him. Now he was the perfect killing machine.

And I’m ready to kill.

He knew there was a guard outside Rachel’s apartment building. Tagging the guy had been easy, even though the agent did a decent job of sticking to the shadows.