Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

Yes, it was. And that had terrified him.

“She’s such a tough marine, isn’t she? Rachel didn’t even scream when I cut the tracker out of her shoulder.”

The image flashed though his head. “Don’t touch her again.”

“I’ll touch her plenty. And if I want, I’ll use my knife again. I’ll see if I can make her scream. I bet if I try hard enough, I can.”

Dylan fought to hold back the fury and the fear, but the emotions were choking him.

“Good old Brent was a free kill. I don’t usually do those. I like to get paid for my services, but I didn’t like the way he kept bothering Rachel.”

He’d been in the bar. He’d seen Rachel.

“I figured he deserved what he got.” There was a pause. “Just as you deserve what’s coming.”

“But Rachel doesn’t deserve to be hurt.” Dylan had to make the guy focus his fury—on me.

“I decide what she deserves.” His breath sighed out. “I know you were playing a game. You and Rachel aren’t together. It was just bait, to lure me in.” That low laughter came again. “Good try. But the game’s over now. Guess what? I win.”

The hell he did. “Ask Rachel. She’ll tell you that we’re lovers.”

He heard a gasp behind him and spun to see Noelle staring at him. Damn it, she’d been eavesdropping.

And he had to wonder just how the profiler had learned to move so soundlessly.

“You’re lying!” Anger blasted through Jack’s words.

“No, I’m not. It wasn’t bait for you. Rachel is mine. She’ll tell you.”

Noelle began to frantically shake her head.

Dylan’s heart iced. His mind worked quickly as he tried to figure out what to say—

“Rachel doesn’t give a damn about you,” Jack growled.

Maybe she didn’t.

“Why did you call?” Dylan demanded. Not just to torment him. But more. There had to be more.

“Because I’m not quite done with you.”

Dylan’s muscles were so tense they ached. “I’ll follow orders this time.”

“You have to, or else she dies.”

He still hadn’t heard Rachel’s voice. He was straining, desperately trying to pick up some background noise, but there was nothing for him to hear.

“If you tell anyone else, I’ll know. I’ll see them coming, and I will put a bullet in Rachel’s head.”

“Don’t!” The word burst from him too quickly.

Noelle gave another frantic shake of her head.

There was a sharp inhalation on the other end of the line. “Agent Foxx, it sure sounds to me like you care too much for my Rachel.”

He did.

“I remember you now,” Jack continued. “You and Shannon. You don’t want Rachel to wind up like Shannon, do you?”