Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

Jack aimed his weapon at Dylan. “Did you ever love him, sweetheart?”

“No.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “I never loved him. Because he isn’t you.”

Her words hit him harder than a bullet. Rage cracked through Dylan’s careful control.

“Good. Very good.” Jack pressed another kiss to her temple. “And now that we’ve got that cleared up, it’s time for you to die, Agent Foxx.” His eyes glittered. “Because you never should have touched what is mine—”

Dylan lunged forward. He knew Jack was about to pull the trigger on that gun and there wasn’t any time for hesitation.

But Rachel spun around. She grabbed Jack, hit him hard, and they both fell right through the gaping rectangle of the window frame. They tumbled out of the building and headed for the water below.

The gun discharged as they hit the dark water. “Rachel!” Dylan screamed. He couldn’t see her or Jack.

Dylan jumped through that window frame and went into the water after her.

His body plummeted into the cold water. It was pitch black beneath the surface, and the current pushed at him.

He pushed back. His hands swept out, searching desperately to try and find Rachel. He kicked up, sucked in a deep gulp of air, and yelled her name. “Rachel!”

His gaze scanned to the left, to the right. He saw a flash of a hand. Then the hand vanished beneath the water.

Dylan dove. He kicked with all his strength, heading to the right. He wasn’t leaving Rachel in the water. He wasn’t—

Strong hands grabbed him and a forearm locked around his throat. Jack had a chokehold on him, and the two men sank deeper into the water as they struggled.

This was the point when most would probably panic. Fight harder, rougher, to get out. But that would just waste oxygen.

And it damn well wasn’t Dylan’s first time in the water. He’d trained and fought—over and over again—in the depths during his SEAL days.

So he didn’t waste time in a desperate battle. Instead, he let his body go limp. He wanted Jack to think he was winning that fight. He wanted the jerk to believe that Dylan was dying.

They sank, heading down deeper. Deeper.

Dylan waited for the instant when Jack would ease his grip, thinking that he’d won. He waited—

Jack’s forearm slid away from his throat.

Dylan instantly spun around. He shoved his hands into the man’s stomach. Then Dylan punched up with his fist, driving right for the man’s face. Bubbles exploded from Jack’s mouth as he screamed.

Bad mistake.

Now the guy was choking on water.

Dylan’s lungs hadn’t even started to burn.

Jack flailed as he tried to rush up to the surface and to air. But Dylan caught him. He held Jack tightly, easily subduing him.

And when they broke the surface, Jack was the one who was limp and barely breathing.

Dylan immediately shouted, “Rachel!”

Rachel was a strong swimmer, too. She should’ve been there, waiting at the surface with him.

She wasn’t.

He’d been fighting Jack, while Rachel— No, no, she’s okay. She has to be okay.

“Dylan!”