“Ask Savage. He made it, remember?” And he’s right. Rick says funny, nonsensical things that I love. Or used to love. “Where is he?”
“He’s out back on the patio watching it rain with excessive interest,” Adam replies. “He seemed to need to cool off. You both did.” He motions to the chair on the other side of the table. “Can I talk you into sitting down and talking to me?”
I think I like Adam. Maybe. We’ll see. I close the space between us and sit down, sipping my coffee, and to my horror, my hand trembles. Smith sets his mug down. “Relax. We’re friends. I don’t know what is up with Savage and what he told you, but I should kick his ass right now based on your nerves.”
“Savage and I are complicated.”
“To say the least,” Adam agrees. “So let’s focus on the simple stuff. Let us start by telling you about us. As you know I’m an ex-SEAL. Team Six. So is Asher, who isn’t here now, because he’s in Austin, monitoring Gabriel.”
“He is?” I ask, surprised. “You have someone monitoring Gabriel?”
“He is,” Adam confirms. “And we do.”
“I’m an ex-Ranger,” Smith replies, “though my background is a bit more complex than that or I wouldn’t be with Walker. No one at Walker is just a soldier. We’re ex-CIA, FBI, you name it. We’re packed with alphabets and diverse skills.”
“CIA?” I ask. “Like Gabriel?”
“Yes,” Adam confirms. “Unfortunately, a few of our top ex-CIA operatives are in Europe on assignment, but we’ve got one of our newer men, en route now. New to us, but a seasoned pro. His name is Aaron. We feel like we need someone like him here helping us and you. We’re the good guys. I’m proud of the men I work with and the jobs I do for Walker.”
“I’m very confused right now. Why are you involved?”
“Because Savage is involved.”
“And that happened how?”
“That’s between you and Savage,” Adam replies.
“Of course it is,” I say.
“There’s a lot going on here that Savage really needs to explain but here’s what is cut and dry: we’re here to protect you. We’re here to protect your father. Those things are absolute. I’m sure Savage told you we have a man trying to get eyes on your father, to confirm his safety and offer him protection.”
“No. No, he didn’t tell me. All he told me was that he was here to kill Gabriel.”
“That is not why he’s here,” Smith says. “That asshole.” He eyes Adam. “What the fuck is he doing?”
Adam sets his mug down and leans forward, elbows on his knees. “He’s let you believe he’s nothing but a killer, hasn’t he?”
“He seems to want me to believe that, yes.”
“Let’s talk about how I met him. I was in Saudi Arabia under fire.”
“Stop talking, Adam.”
At Rick’s voice, my gaze lifts to find him standing in front of the table, between me and Adam, facing Smith. And he looks like he’s about to blow, his eyes sharp, his jaw set hard, his fingers curled into his palms at his sides.
“I’m not going to stop fucking talking, Savage,” Adam says, standing up, tall and broad, his actions daring Rick to come at him. “I know you think you’re protecting her by making her think you’re a killer.”
“I am a killer. Nothing you’re about to tell her changes that.” He looks at me. “Nothing he tells you changes that.”
“You had reasons for everything you did,” Adam argues.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about, asshole,” Rick snaps. “You need to shut the fuck up.”
“You think she’s better off scared and hurt by the man she loves? She’s captive to Gabriel, who’s powerful, with CIA operatives as skilled as you and me at his beck and call. Think about it, Savage. You didn’t even tell her you were trying to protect her father.”
“She was asleep.” He doesn’t look at me.
“She looks wide awake to me,” Adam snaps back. “I’m telling her. If you want to fight me first, so be it. But bloody and bruised, I’m still telling her.”
I shoot to my feet. “If he doesn’t want me to know, Adam, don’t tell me. He wants to be a monster. He’d obviously rather you be my hero. Anyone but him. He’s made that clear. And I don’t need a hero. I need a problem I can help solve.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Candace
Rick doesn’t look at me. He glares at Adam and then turns away, walking to the fireplace and giving us his back. Defeated, I sink into the chair again. Adam sits back down, too, and looks at me. “Back to Saudi,” he says, clearly listening to neither me nor Rick. He’s going to tell this story. And I don’t stop him. I don’t understand what happened between Rick and I in the past or in the past few hours. I need to understand. “A portion of Walker’s operation is high-risk missions,” he continues. “A majority of us take them when we’re new to Walker and while we’re single for one reason: we get massive paydays. I took a job to save a princess from a bastard who had her and another woman captive. The contractor had paid us and the operation Savage worked for to do the same job. I’m telling you this because I was competing for Savage’s payday.”