Glitter and Gunfire/Bulletproof (Shadow Agents 4)

“I—I saw...” Wait, had she seen her? Cassidy wasn’t sure, not anymore. She rubbed temples that ached. “I thought that I saw Genevieve in the alley.”

Gunner shook his head. “I cleared that alley. No one is there.”

He sounded so certain, but she’d been certain a moment ago, too.

“I’ll be right back.” Cale pulled his weapon and headed into the alley.

Gunner closed the car door, sealing her inside the vehicle.

Cassidy waited, barely breathing, as the seconds slowly ticked past. Then Cale was back, striding toward the car. His face grim.

He climbed into the vehicle. “No one was there.”

Maybe...maybe she’d just wanted Genevieve to be there. Wanted so badly that she’d made herself see a ghost?

The car slowly pulled away from the curb. Helpless to stop herself, Cassidy glanced back.

No one was there.

The car slid easily through the empty streets. Cassidy swal

lowed, trying to ease the sudden dryness of her throat. “Did you...did anyone find Genevieve’s body?” She hated to think of her friend that way. Broken. Lost.

Cale shook his head.

“Maybe he lied to me.” Killers lied, right? That was what they did. Lied, killed.

Cale’s fingers caressed her arm. “Maybe he did. Agents will keep searching for her. They won’t give up.”

Maybe they wouldn’t, but... “But I’m giving up. If I’m just running away with you, I’m giving up on her.” She couldn’t do that. It wasn’t right.

“No, you’re staying alive.” His voice had hardened. They were in the back of the vehicle. Gunner and Logan were up front. The other agents would be able to easily hear every word that they said. “That’s what you have to do.”

“What if she’s in this city?”

Cale shook his head. “What are you going to do? Search every street? Every house? Every building?”

If she had to, maybe. “I can’t...I can’t do it, Cale.” She wanted to, so much, but running—enough.

“What can’t you do?” He’d leaned toward her.

She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I want to go with you. I want to get on that plane and go home with you. I want to pretend that we’re starting some kind of life together, far away from Mercer and everyone else.” She licked her lips. “But I can’t.” Then, voice louder, she focused on the men in the front. “Take us to the EOD headquarters.”

Logan didn’t even slow down. And he didn’t turn around.

“Logan.” She snapped out his name. “Take us back.”

They eased under a row of bright streetlights—still on because the light of the day wasn’t heavy or clear yet—and, in the rearview mirror, she saw Logan’s gaze shift toward Cale.

“It’s not his choice,” Cassidy said, lifting her chin. “It’s mine. And I’m not running.”

“Are you dying?” Gunner wanted to know as he glanced back at her. “Because that’s what almost happened to you.”

Yes, she had almost died, and Cale—no, all of those men—had risked their lives for her.

For her secret.

She opened her mouth and said, “I’m Mercer’s daughter.”