They shook hands, clapping each other on the back briefly. “Yeah, I’m afraid so.”
Ian nodded. “FBI kind of trouble or people are going to die kind of trouble?”
Rafe shook his head. “People are going to die kind of trouble. I’m here to warn you.”
Ian’s brows drew down. “You realize we’re assassins, right?”
“I know. The team is more than capable of taking care of themselves. But you’ve got agents at risk. Those files that you refused to have locked in the bureau, the ones you trusted me to hold on to because no one was looking for me. Those files? They’re gone.”
Ian’s face remained completely impassive. But Rafe could see the vibrating anger on Ian’s shoulders as they stiffened. “Define gone.”
And this was the part where Rafe had to swallow crow. Damn birds could be so tough to swallow when you had to eat them whole. “Spy. That’s my best guess. I was infiltrated a few weeks ago. It took that long for them to get access to my safe. I discovered the files were missing yesterday.”
“How exposed are we? What is on those files?”
“All the missions before Noah got out. Every agent location, their missions, their strengths, weaknesses, possible leverage. Blood type. DNA. All the new agent information since you took over. You weren’t as thorough, obviously. Shall I go on?”
Ian’s voice went chilly and icy. “Noah insisted that I entrust you with that information, and now you’re fucking telling me it’s gone?” He planted his hands on the glass, his anger making the desk shake.
Rafe met his gaze levelly. “Yes. That’s my fuckup. It’s on me. I’m getting the files back, but in the meantime, you might want to move your agents.”
“You’re in here telling me how to run my shop? I will run my agents how I see fit. You know we have open ops?”
Rafe didn’t appreciate the dressing down, but he deserved it. This shouldn’t have happened on his watch. But he’d been thinking with his dick. “I know that. I’m here as a courtesy.”
“Some fucking courtesy. How long do we have before that information is sold?”
“There’s no chatter on it. No one’s made inquiries yet. I’ll get the file before it gets that far.”
“I think you forget, I’m Orion now. I’ll get those files.”
The fuck he would. Because Rafe knew what that would mean for Diana. “I’ll get the files. If one of your men goes anywhere near the target, I’ll be forced to take them out.”
Ian pushed himself to standing. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You lose the files that compromise all of us, and then you want me to let you handle it?”
Rafe rolled his shoulders. “Yes. Because at the end of the day, you don’t work for yourself anymore, and I’ll remind you again, this is a courtesy call. All active agents should be moved. I will retrieve the files and notify you when it’s done. And I’m serious, Ian, keep your men away. I see even one of them, and it’s not going to go down pretty.”
Ian narrowed his eyes and glowered at him, jaw clenched. “I think you’re forgetting my name is Orion now. I answer to the United States government. Not to you.”
Rafe nodd
ed. “Fair enough, Orion. Like I said, this is courtesy. And as far as you’re concerned right now, with my ties to the FBI, I am the United States government. I’m serious, Ian.” He said his name deliberately. “You go near the target, it’s not going to go well. I will deliver the files to you and guarantee no exposure.”
Ian nodded and crossed his arms. “If you don’t deliver on that promise, maybe it’s time you start watching your back.”
Chapter Three
Back at home, Rafe stared at the clothes and the phone he’d retrieved from that bathroom trash can at the department store the previous night. He examined the items with a sick fascination. Would these be his last memory of her? The things she’d been wearing and using when she left?
It was a depressing thought.
Almost as depressing as realizing just how close he’d been to finding her. The store employee he’d talked to confirmed that he’d seen her only ten minutes prior. There was a chance that she’d been in the store at the same time he was, maybe even close enough to touch.
You know how to hide, don’t you?
Well, she’d done better than Rafe had expected. Perhaps it was arrogance, but when he’d left his place last night, he’d honestly believed he’d be coming back with a reluctant Diana in tow. With his training, it had never occurred to him that she might evade him. Which led him to wonder, just who was Diana Renquist? Because she definitely wasn’t the helpless woman in need of rescue she’d led him to believe she was.
“I can’t do this,” he muttered. His mind was too scattered to focus, but he couldn’t allow the trail to go cold. He pulled his phone out and dialed a number from memory.