Page 79 of Playboy

Lucas hesitated for a second, but he pressed on. “Right, sorry, but listen. She’s living in a condo right on the beach.” Herattled off the address to Tyson. “Thing is, there’s a guy who’s been hanging around a lot.”

“A guy?” Tyson leaned forward, his interest piqued. “Who?”

“Big dude. Military-looking. He’s built like a brick wall though, real serious type.”

Tyson’s mind began to race, connecting dots. If someone like that was around, it could mean trouble.

“And what else?” Tyson asked, his voice growing impatient.

Lucas took a breath before continuing, “I think he’s her fiancé.”

Tyson's hand froze mid-air, halfway to his coffee mug. “Fiancé?” That was new. Gabriella didn’t have a fiancé on file, at least not from what he had been able to dig up.

“Yeah, man,” Lucas said, clearly sensing Tyson’s surprise.

Tyson let out a long breath, processing the information. Gabriella Allen was already a complicated enough target, but now she had a man like that in her corner? This had the potential to get messy fast.

“Alright,” Tyson said, masking his irritation with a professional tone. “I’ll be heading to Virginia Beach next week. I’ll make it appear that I’m visiting family. My step-sister has been nagging me anyway about coming to see her. Listen, keep your eyes on Gabriella until I get there. Butdo notapproach her again.”

“Got it,” Lucas replied.

Tyson hung up the phone and let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his short-cropped hair. He sat back in his chair again, letting the silence of the office settle in around him. This was turning into more work than he’d anticipated. Gabriella’s MSRT background was already making things tricky, but now a fiancé?

That wasn’t part of the plan.

Ramon was going to need to pay double for all the extra work and effort Tyson was putting in. Tracking someone like Gabriella wasn’t a simple tail-and-report job. This was turning into a full-blown operation, and Tyson wasn’t doing charity work. Ramon’s obsession with Gabriella might be personal, but Tyson was in this for one thing—the money.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Gabby sat on the balcony of the condo, the cool breeze from the ocean brushing against her skin. The stars shimmered against the deep blue sky, casting a soft glow over the quiet streets below. She leaned back in her chair, a steaming cup of tea in her hands, and stared out into the distance. The sounds from the ocean usually helped clear her mind, but tonight, it was crowded with indecision.

It was Friday night, and she was torn between two options for the weekend—camping with her teammates or a girl's night at Jocelyn’s house with Clover and Hannah.

The night before last, Playboy and the team had gotten called out for a mission.

She and Playboy had been snuggled on the couch watching a movie when his phone buzzed with the unmistakable ringtone, signaling he was wanted at the base. At that moment, Gabby’s heart had skipped a beat as she watched his easygoing smile fade instantly. It was replaced with a hardened expression.

She didn’t say anything at first, but her eyes followed his every move as he crossed the room to get his phone from the charger.

She saw the slight tightening of his jaw as he read the message. His body even shifted, becoming all businesslike. That was when she realized it was serious.

Gabby knew the drill. Being part of the MSRT herself, she was no stranger to classified missions or last-minute deployments. She’d been in his shoes more times than shecould count—getting the call, grabbing her gear, shutting off all personal feelings to focus on the task ahead.

But this time, sitting on the other side, watching someone she cared about prepare to walk into the unknown, was totally different experience.

It felt strange, unsettling even, not to be the one going.

He had moved quickly, pulling his go-bag from the closet with practiced ease as a knot formed in her chest.

He moved silently and efficiently. No questions, no explanations. Gabby knew better than anyone—she wasn’t allowed to ask where he was going, what the mission was, or how long he’d be gone. She’d always understood the need for secrecy in their line of work, but that didn’t make it any easier now that she was on this side of things. Not knowing gnawed at her, and a quiet worry settled in the pit of her stomach.

She remembered as he crossed the room and cupped her face, as his thumb brushed gently against her cheek. His eyes were locked with hers, and for a brief second, his hardened exterior softened.

“I’ll be back,” he had told her. His voice was low but steady.

She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat.

“I know,” she replied. Her voice was full of confidence.

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