Intense

“You have to trust me. Come on, we have to move.”

“No,” I said. “Tell me what’s going on or I’m not moving.”

He took a deep breathe and slowly released it. “Listen to me, Tara. If we don’t start moving right now, we both might be in danger, and I can’t put you in that position.”

I stared at him, and that same look crossed his face, sincere and intense. As strange as this was, I still believed him and trusted him. I didn’t know why, but I did.

“Fine,” I said, “But promise you’ll tell me what’s happening when we get back.”

“I promise.”

He turned and started walking, and I followed.

He wasn’t talking to me anymore. He wasn’t trying to keep me calm. I just kept pace with him down the streets, cutting through yards where we could, moving in the strangest pattern back toward my house.

Finally, after maybe a half hour of walking, we made it. I spotted my house up ahead.

“Wait,” he said, stopping me. “Stay here.”

“What?”

“Stay here.” He walked off without another word.

I stood there and watched as he slowly walked around my house, checking in the windows. He paced across the street, his eyes constantly sweeping the space, before coming back to me.

“Okay. Come on.”

I followed him again, my heart racing, completely confused.

We went up to my front door. I unlocked it and pushed it open. “Hello, Mom? I’m home.”

“Hi, sweetie.” My Mom appeared in the kitchen, holding Mason. “Who’s this?”

I looked back at Emory and watched him relax. “Mom, this is Emory.”

“Emory Rush. It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” He walked inside and smiled a charming smile. My mom shook his hand.

“Oh, hello. Are you friends from school?”

“Not exactly, ma’am. I know Tara from India.”

She paused, and I knew she had just put it together. “Oh, that’s nice,” she said absently. “Why don’t you two go sit in the living room and talk? I’ll take Mason to the park.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he said.

“That’d be great, Mom,” I said, interrupting him.

“Great. Well, have a nice time.” She walked off and headed upstairs.

Emory looked at me. “Nice lady.”

I rolled my eyes and dragged him into the living room. I pushed him lightly and he dropped onto the couch, grinning at me.

“Okay, we’re here,” I said. “Now talk.”

“Sit down first,” he said, looking serious.

I sat down, my heart racing in my chest.

6

Emory

Tara sat down next to me, looking annoyed as hell.

I had to admit, the girl was fucking sexy when she was pissed. She was a good sport following me back from the café like that. I’d completely expected her to rebel at least a few more times, but she managed to question me only once.

Which was impressive. Not many civilians would be willing to go along with an evasive maneuver like that with absolutely zero explanation, especially with a stranger.

Which was why I wanted her to know me better. We really did have a lot in common. Meeting her mother, seeing where she lived, it felt a lot like the way my life looked back before my mother got sick.

But unfortunately, I had to tell Tara what was happening. I’d meant to tell her today regardless. I wished I could keep it away from her, but it would be hard to protect her if she had no clue what I was doing. I couldn’t risk her thinking I was just some psycho and potentially calling the local police on me or some shit like that.

And so I had to tell the girl that she was in mortal danger from a serious terrorist group.

The same terrorist group I had spotted while we were sitting in the café.

It was all but confirmed for me. The man I spotted was sitting at the bus stop across the street, pretending to read the paper, but I would have recognized him anywhere. Omar Vazir Hooth was one of the deadliest members of The Network, and the fact that he was anywhere near Tara meant that her life was in more serious danger than I had thought.

Omar was one of the leaders of The Network, and definitely one of the most radical. In our raid of their organization, I’d killed his brother and several of his cousins personally and had wondered why I’d missed him.

Now I knew. Omar Hooth had been in America this whole time, probably for years. I was willing to bet this thing with Tara was personal revenge for what I’d done to his family, but I couldn’t be sure.

Tara looked at me expectantly, and I wondered how the hell I should phrase this.

“You know I’m a SEAL,” I said.