Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents 2)

It was all she could do to stay seated. “There’s always an up-front payment.” You don’t risk your life for nothing...that had been a Cale Lane rule. Rule number three, if she remembered correctly. “And I know about every account he has.”

Jasper tapped his chin. She noticed that a faint growth of stubble covered his square jaw. The stubble made him look both dangerous and sexy.

She yanked her gaze away from that stubble and forced herself to look into his eyes once more. “You know him.” She made her voice smooth with an effort. “He was your friend once. Please, take this job. I’ll pay whatever you want.”

“Whatever?”

She nodded.

His lashes flickered. “You should be careful making an offer like that. You don’t know what I’ll ask for. You don’t know what kind of man I am.”

“You’re the kind of man I need.” One with dark connections that could—hopefully—lead Veronica to her brother.

He studied her, and she fought the urge to squirm. After a moment, his lips slowly stretched into a smile. “Well, Ms. Veronica Lane, in that case, I think you’ve just hired yourself a mercenary.”

An answering smile wanted to lift her lips because, for the first time in months, she could feel hope stirring inside her.

Jasper rose to his feet. She hurried to stand beside him. This close, she finally realized just how big he was. Jasper’s shoulders stretched as wide as a linebacker’s. “Thank you,” she murmured, offering her hand.

His fingers closed around hers. “Don’t thank me.” The words sounded a little too gruff.

She glanced up, her brows pulling together.

His smile seemed forced. “I haven’t found your brother yet.”

“But you will.” Keep the hope. Don’t let it fade.

“Yes,” Jasper said slowly, but with a definite promise rumbling beneath the words, “I will.”

* * *

THE CROWD CLOSED in behind little Veronica Lane as she hurried away from him. Jasper watched her go, aware that his gaze had dropped to the curve of her hips.

The lady had one fine sway when she moved, even if she staggered a bit in those three-inch heels.

“Are you smiling?” The surprised question came from Jasper’s left as Gunner Ortez grabbed a chair and swung it around. He sat down, looping his arms over the back of the chair. “Man, you know I’ve asked you not to do that. You’re scary when you smile.”

As if Gunner was one to talk. The ex-SEAL sniper just looked like one very deadly shark when he smiled.

“Was that who I think it was?” Gunner asked.

“If you mean was that Cale Lane’s little sister, then, yes, it was.” Talk about easy pickings. He’d been in town for less than five hours. He’d thought that he’d have to worm his way into Veronica’s good graces before he could get a good start on this mission.

But the woman had just come walking right up to him.

“Want to tell me what she wanted?”

He and Gunner were working the assignment together, so there was no reason to hold back. “She just hired me to find her missing brother.”

Not much could surprise Gunner. The guy had been to hell and back on his missions, but Jasper caught the faint flicker of surprise on his face. “You really have the devil’s luck.” Gunner saluted Jasper with a beer bottle.

“So they say.” Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference between having luck and being cursed.

“You didn’t tell her that you were EOD?”

Even if he’d told her, Jasper wasn’t sure that Veronica would have even known about the group. Most civilians didn’t know of its existence. “Have I ever broken cover?” Jasper tossed back at his friend.

Gunner shook his head.