“South America somewhere,” said Razor, looking at something on his laptop. “McTiernan says Montgomery is headed in to see him,” he added, raising his head.
“We ready?” asked Doc.
“We are,” she answered, looking at Dutch, who nodded.
“Let’s get him here.”
“How far out is he?” asked Onyx.
“He’s at the Harmony safe house, which gives us about thirty minutes.” Doc turned from him to Malin. “You have time to rework this if you’ve changed your mind about any part of it.”
“There’s nothing I want to change.”
Doc nodded. “Let’s move,” he said to the rest of the men in the room.
“Where’s Merrigan?” she asked once only she, Dutch, and Doc were left in the room.
“Back in Montecito along with my parents, where they’ll stay until this is finished.”
—:—
Malin’s question and Doc’s answer reminded Dutch that this wasn’t the dangerous part of the mission. That would come later, as soon as they fed Deputy Director Montgomery enough to get him to act. Before he left, McTiernan assured them that from everything he’d learned, the man would work alone. Dutch didn’t have enough confidence in Kellen to believe he knew one way or another.
“You’re quiet,” she said when Doc excused himself.
Dutch nodded.
“Everything okay?”
“No. It isn’t.”
When Malin’s brow furrowed, Dutch smoothed the creases with his finger.
“Tell me you’re sure this is the way you want this to go down.”
“I’ve told you over and over again that it is.”
“I don’t want you to look back at this and feel as though you were pressured into handling it in a way you hadn’t originally intended to.”
“I’m sure what we’re doing is right, Dutch. Why are you second-guessing me now?”
He walked her backwards until her back was up against the stone wall of the room and grasped the back of her neck. He brought his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, knowing that this wasn’t the time to tell her how he felt—that he loved her more than he’d known he was capable of. To do so would not only be selfish, it would be dangerous. Instead, he kissed her, thrusting his tongue inside of her mouth while he held her still, forcing her to take what he gave. He couldn’t tell her with words, but this way he could.
“What is this about, Dutch?” she asked, pulling back to look in his eyes.
He couldn’t answer. If he spoke, he’d say everything he knew he shouldn’t. When he tried to pull away, she grabbed him.
“Don’t walk away from me,” she pleaded. “Talk to me.”
He shook his head. “I’m protecting you.”
“What does that really mean, Dutch?”
“You know what it means.”
“Tell me.”
“I can’t. Not now.”