The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents 6)

That couldn’t happen. Too many lives were on the line.

“I’ll arrange a meeting between you and the reporter.” He just had to pull a few strings.

Then they had to figure out...was Gabrielle Harper becoming the killer’s target? Or did the rogue think she could be another weapon to use against the EOD?

* * *

THE SOB HAD actually called her. Rage still beat in Cooper’s blood. Hours had passed since that phone call. He’d searched the area near the DOC but had found no trace of the killer.

He’d taken Gabrielle back to the brownstone. The cops had finally cleared out, but Gabrielle hadn’t shown any interest in going upstairs to her place.

She’d gone straight for his apartment instead.

The storm that had been threatening all day had finally erupted. He heard the clatter of thunder as the pelting drops of rain fell outside.

Gabrielle was on his couch. She’d kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her body. She looked small—delicate.

And scared.

Her fear pissed him off.

He stalked toward her. His knees brushed the couch. “He’s not going to hurt you.”

She looked up at him. He hadn’t been able to hear the caller’s words, not clearly, and he hadn’t wanted to push her for more information with so many eyes and ears around. She’d talked with Carmichael about the call, but the cop had pulled her away from Cooper for that little chat.

He forced his jaw to unlock as he stared down at her. “I need to know what he said.”

Because Mercer had already called him—twice— demanding details.

“He...he told me that you weren’t who I thought you were.” Her arms wrapped around her stomach. “He told me that you were lying to me.”

His heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears.

“He knew your name,” she continued without looking away from him. “And he told me that you weren’t who I thought.”

Bastard. “He’s trying to shake you up. To make you afraid.”

“I am afraid.”

“Don’t stop trusting me.” He reached down, caught her hands and pulled her up so that she stood beside him. “He wants you to turn away from me so that you’ll be on your own, vulnerable.”

I won’t have that. The rogue wasn’t going to take Gabrielle’s life. Cooper didn’t plan to walk into an apartment and smell her blood.

Or find her lying on the floor, motionless.

“Cooper?” Gabrielle frowned at him. “Are you all right?”

No, he wasn’t. His heart wasn’t drumming in his ears any longer. It didn’t seem to be beating at all. His body felt cold, like ice that sank through skin and bone. “I won’t do it.”

Her head tilted toward him. Her dark hair slid over her shoulder. The move exposed the golden column of her neck.

Sliced open, bleeding out...

“Do what?” Gabrielle asked him as she searched his gaze.

“I won’t find you dead. It’s not happening.” He knew what the cold was in that instant—fear. Fear didn’t burn, it chilled, and it was freezing him from the inside, out.

He pulled Gabrielle close and put his mouth against hers.