Glitter and Gunfire/Bulletproof (Shadow Agents 4)

“Leave the scene,” Logan’s voice immediately blasted back. “Two attackers are dead. The others retreated but left a fire in their wake.”

Not the news he wanted to hear.

Cassidy kept trying to run for the stairs. The woman was trying to drive him insane.

“Come on!” He locked his arm around her stomach and pulled her back against him.

“No! My friend is up there! Genevieve! Gen—”

Other people were rushing down the service stairs. They were about to be crushed.

He could hear sirens blasting. More help, coming as quickly as they could.

“Ballroom is clear,” Logan barked. “Get the target out.”

When the team leader gave an order, you didn’t question him. Cale picked Cassidy up into his arms and carried her out.

“No!” Cassidy yelled. “Genevieve, I need—”

“She’s clear!” They were outside. Fresh air hit him. He glanced back. Saw the flash of flames in the upstairs windows. And...saw the shadow of a man dropping down the side of the building.

Logan. Rappelling down.

Had the gunmen used the same method of escape?

And why had they targeted—

“Cassidy!”

When he heard the cry, Cale’s hold tightened on Cassidy. But the woman calling her—that was the redhead. Cassidy’s friend.

“Genevieve?” Cassidy whispered, voice breaking with hope.

Cale’s gaze swept the scene. Men and women in their fancy gowns and their tuxes now stood, shaken, in the shadows, as they stared up at the burning building.

A night of fun, now a night of fear.

“Let me go,” Cassidy told him. “Please.”

He eased her to her feet. She’d lost her high heels someplace, and her bare feet pressed into the cement. Cale stared into her eyes.

He wasn’t letting her go. Not really.

But for now, he would let her walk away.

Cassidy turned from him. She hurried away. Her hands locked around her friend as she held Genevieve tight. Genevieve was talking quickly in French.

Since he spoke French as easily as he did English, Cale understood her words and her frantic fear that mort had almost taken them both.

But, no, Cale hadn’t been about to let death get close to Cassidy.

He eased back from the scene, keeping Cassidy in his sights. More of the local authorities arrived, rushing frantically to the rescue.

With Carnival in swing, this was the last thing that the powers-that-be in Rio would want. An attack on wealthy tourists? No way would they want that bit of info leaking to the media.

Medics were checking out the shaken men and women.

Logan was in the shadows, scanning the area. Cale saw him, but he doubted that anyone else noticed the other agent.