Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents 7)

Dylan stopped his pacing. “You think if we hadn’t brought him in, then the guy would have gone back and disarmed the bomb there?”

She nodded and the guilt was on her. “I should have come and talked to him sooner. Then no one would be hurt and—”

Dylan lunged toward her and grabbed her arms. “He’s insane. He wanted to cover his tracks. That’s what he was doing. He set the bomb to blow at O’Sullivan’s because he thought he’d be taking you away with him today. He probably planned to kill me then take you away in one of the boats at the harbor. He set the bomb at the pub so all the evidence that he’d left behind would be destroyed. That’s not on you.”

“But it will be on me if his next bomb kills someone.” Her words were soft. Sad.

His grip tightened on her. “Rachel...”

“He’s not lying, Dylan. There is another bomb.” She’d never been more certain of anything. “He’s in D.C. because he has a big target, and he’s going to take out that target.” He’d moved to

take her last night... Why?

The answer came to her immediately. Because he’d planned to take out his real target today. And Dylan was right—Kenneth planned to take me with him when he left D.C.

“We have to act fast,” she said, voice wooden. She knew the risk she was taking. Kenneth could lead her straight to the bomb site and the place could explode around them.

“A bomb squad can go with him,” Dylan argued. “We’ve got plenty of demolitions experts right here in the EOD.”

“You know Kenneth won’t take them there. He’ll only cooperate if I go...or he’ll just sit in that little room, and he’ll wait for the explosion to come.”

The mask fell from Dylan’s face. And the first thing that she saw? Fear. “I don’t want to lose you, Rachel.”

She tried to smile for him even though the same fear chilled her veins. “And here I thought you were trying to ship me off to Atlanta.”

He flinched. “I’m so sorry...so damn sorry.” His mouth crashed down on hers. He kissed her with a wild desperation, holding her tightly. “I wanted you safe. That’s all I wanted...”

She kissed him back. Held him just as tightly. She wanted him safe, too, and that was why she’d take any risk. Even falling three floors and nearly drowning. To protect him.

His mouth lifted from hers, the barest of spaces. “I want to leave with you. Walk out the door and just be with you.”

Tears stung her eyes. “That’s not who you are.” She pushed against his chest. He stepped back.

“No,” Dylan agreed. “It’s not.”

“I’m going to do this.” She stared into his eyes. “And you’re not going to stop me.”

“Rachel, I—”

“Because you know who I am. You know me better than anyone else alive.” Her family saw the image that she presented to them. When she visited them in New York, they embraced her in their wonderful, loving arms, but they didn’t know her. He did. “You won’t make the mistake of trying to push me aside this time.” He couldn’t.

His hands had fisted. “What will I do...damn it, what if you die?”

“I won’t.” Her fingers wrapped around his fist. “Because you’ll have my back, just like you always do.”

His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. “I know you well,” he rasped.

He wouldn’t stand in her way.

Rachel turned from him. There wasn’t any time to waste. She had to tell Mercer—

“I love you.”

She felt the impact of those words roll through her whole body.

“I screwed up before,” Dylan said. “I hurt you...because I was so scared. I’m not used to fear. I’m not used to love, either. But...I love you.”

Rachel glanced back over her shoulder. “I know.”