Glitter and Gunfire/Bulletproof (Shadow Agents 4)

Mercer swore. “She is not to go after Genevieve, understand?”

“But as an EOD agent, she can—” Logan began.

“Cassidy isn’t an EOD agent. She’s an asset, one that I want brought back into the office immediately.”

An asset. The lingo used to describe a person who had intel that was often vital to the EOD’s success.

Logan stepped closer as he frowned down at Cale’s phone. “What about Chevalier? Cale thinks the Executioner may be at work here, and I have to agree with him. Genevieve’s abduction sure seems to fit the victim profile developed for that killer.”

“Cale’s been talking to Cassidy.” A new note had entered Mercer’s voice. One that Cale couldn’t quite understand. “Be careful with her, Cale. Before you know it, Cassidy will have manipulated you into doing anything that she wants. I’ve seen it happen before, with plenty of other agents.”

Those words caused tension to harden Cale’s muscles. But he’d already known that Cassidy was a manipulator, hadn’t he? The instant Cassidy came toward him with her eyes lit with desire, when she put those silken lips against his and so softly whispered...

Help me.

His body had responded instantly to her. How could he not respond to that sensual invitation? But he’d suspected—damn it—that she was just trying to use him.

Use his desire for her to get exactly what she wanted.

“Cassidy Sherridan is to be brought back to the D.C. office right away.” Now there was no emotion in Mercer’s voice. Just a cold demand. “Cale, you bring her back, got it? I’ll send a separate team down to hunt the Executioner—”

“But we’re already here, sir,” Logan cut in, his frown deepening. “Even if Cale leaves with the woman, Gunner and I can do recon work. We can find this bastard. We can save Chevalier.”

“I want you watching Cale’s back,” was Mercer’s fast response. “Guard them every second that Cale and Cassidy are down there. I know those SOBs already made a grab for Cassidy once, and I won’t have her falling into their hands. Cassidy’s safety is the priority. She’s to be brought back to the U.S. Once I know she’s safe, then I’ll make sure that the Executioner is handled.”

Cale didn’t like this plan. Not when a woman’s life was in the balance. “We don’t know how much time Chevalier has,” Cale snapped, unable to hold back his anger. Just letting a woman stay in a killer’s hands? No. That wasn’t the way he worked. “We’re here, we can—”

“Another team is already en route. And the Executioner... I know how he works,” Mercer muttered. “He’ll be leaving the country ASAP.”

All the more reason for them to hunt him, then.

“Get Cassidy back here, Cale, and that’s an order.” There was a whip of command in the words. “Cassidy is the mission. Bring her back. Stay with her, and get her back to D.C. in one piece.”

So much for the full briefing that he’d wanted.

Bodyguard duty was continuing, and Genevieve Chevalier—she was just going to be left on her own?

He ended the call and fought to calm the fury that was growing in him. He hadn’t agreed to join the EOD so he could stand back while a woman was tortured and killed.

“Cale...you heard the director.” Logan was studying him worriedly.

Yes, he’d heard the director.

Jaw locking, Cale gritted his teeth. “Are we just going to leave Genevieve here?”

Cassidy wouldn’t want that. He already knew just what kind of fight he’d have on his hands as soon as he tried to force her from Rio.

His gaze guarded, Logan said, “We follow orders.”

Right. That was what good soldiers did.

Only...they weren’t still in the military.

A plan began to form in his head. Protecting Cassidy was Mercer’s stated priority. And as he protected Cassidy, both Logan and Gunner were supposed to have his back.

So where Cassidy went...

We all go.