Xavier (Vigilance 4)

“Damn right you thought he was an asset.”

I flipped Giorgio off.

“Take him to the island. You’re no good here if you’re too worn down to function.”

“I’m not.” I was though. I was exhausted and too distracted by Emilio. I could hardly think around him. This wasn’t a job where a person could make mistakes.

I glanced down at Emilio. Could I take him away like that and keep things professional between us? I’d already flirted with him, and now he was lying against me. Had I already crossed that line?

Sitting together and offering comfort wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do with the other men on my team, but even so, I knew this wasn’t the same. “I’ll think about it.”

“Think yes.”

I huffed. “Go to bed.”

“I can’t sleep, and I can’t take anything because of the tranquilizer that bastard hit me with.”

“Then go bother someone else.”

Giorgio sniffed. “It’s so nice to be wanted.”

“I need time to think.”

“Don’t overanalyze this. Just go with your gut.”

I wasn’t sure I could discern whether the instincts I’d learn to trust were telling me to go with Giorgio’s plan or if that was just what I wanted to do.

After Giorgio left, I made a long list of pros and cons in my mind. Then I got a phone call that tipped my hand.

6

Emilio

I slowly came awake, confused at first about where I was. I saw a bed with a man lying in it. Who was it? Slowly the events of the night before came back to me. It was Leo, and I… wasn’t lying on a pillow. I’d never had a pillow that firm. I was lying against X’s sexy, perfectly formed shoulder.

X was talking. Maybe it was his voice that had woken me. I couldn’t believe how hard I’d slept. How long had we been sitting there? I sat up and pulled away from X. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to—”

He pressed a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet, then said something else. I realized he was on the phone.

“That sounds good. I appreciate it. Tell Dalton I owe him one… In a few hours. My pilot is getting things checked out now.” X laughed a moment later, and he was even more beautiful with that big smile on his face. “I’ll be in touch soon.”

X tapped his wireless headphone, glanced at Leo, and then his eyes met mine.

“You’re going somewhere?” I asked.

“We’re going somewhere.”

“I told you I don’t need—”

“And I told you that you would be staying with me.”

A snort of laughter made me turn toward the door.

Niall stood there with a smirk on his face.

“It’s about time you got back,” X barked.

“I had to check in with Marco after I dropped Ezra off.”

X coughed. “Right. No wonder it took you a while.”

Marco was Niall’s boyfriend, and I was certain “check in” was code for something much dirtier. “How long have we been here?”

X glanced at the antique clock on the dresser next to Leo’s bed. “Four hours.”

“Really?” I had no idea it had been that long.

“You needed the rest.”

The soft look in his eyes had my heart pounding

Niall cleared his throat, and X’s expression went blank as he turned to face his teammate.

“Now that Marco has checked you over himself to be completely certain you’re all right, can you sit with Leo?”

“I can. Are you headed back to Boston?”

X shook his head. “No. To the airport.” Emilio and I are going to the island.

Niall’s smile widened.

“Don’t say a damn word. And I don’t want to hear anything about Giorgio gloating.”

I’d obviously missed something.

“So Giorgio suggested it?” Niall asked.

“Yes. I know I’m needed here—”

“You need to take a break.”

“This won’t be one. I just spoke with Walsh.”

I tensed. X had originally thought Walsh was part of the trafficking ring, but as the mission that led to the island X now owned progressed, it became clear something else was going on. I looked deeper into Walsh’s background and realized he was former CIA. Leo didn’t know him because by the time Leo was an agent, Walsh had retired except for teaching occasional classes for trainees.

Walsh wasn’t formally involved in espionage these days, but when he’d seen an opportunity to bring the trafficking ring down, he and his much younger boyfriend, Dalton, had infiltrated the group and assisted Vigilance in the takedown.

“Was that who you were talking to just now?” I asked.

X nodded.

Niall looked concerned. “What did he say?”

“As he and I expected, Swain’s New Orleans contacts are making moves to regroup and take over for the men we just eliminated.” He turned to me. “That means the hacker who exposed you will likely be working for them.”

“If they pay him enough, he’ll give them whatever they asked for.”

“Then why don’t we outbid them?” Niall asked.

I shook my head. “He has a vendetta against me. It might be the one time he actually turned down more funds. I… I’ve taken a few jobs he was sure would go to him, and this isn’t the first time our work has been in conflict.” I blew out a long breath. There was a lot more to it than that, but I wasn’t ready to talk about my past. “I’ve never fucked up this badly before. I’m sure he’s thrilled.”