Page 12 of Croatia Collateral

Giva ignored the door Dax held and slid across the seat and out the door where Fearghas stood. “Thank you,” she said to the tall Scotsman.

She walked with Fearghas around the car, gave Dax a glance down the length of her nose, and hooked her hand through the crook of Dax’s elbow. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Dax laid his hand over the one curled around his elbow and led her into the lobby, past reception and straight to the elevator bank.

Hammer took care of the registration and gave Dax the electronic key to the room. They didn’t have to stop at the reception desk or speak to anyone on the way.

Once inside the elevator car, Dax selected the fifth floor.

With the two bodyguards, Dax and Giva, the elevator car seemed small and tight as they stood in silence, waiting for the doors to open on their floor. They couldn’t speak openly in case the elevator was wired with a camera.

The bell dinged, and the doors slid open.

Fearghas and Peter exited first, taking their bodyguard duties seriously.

Armed with the key to the suite, Fearghas strode ahead.

Peter stood to the side and waited for Dax and Giva to step out in front of him. He would guard their six.

Dax had worked with teams enough to trust his team had his back. These men would not be members of the Brotherhood Protectors if former Navy SEALs Ace Hammer and Hank Patterson didn’t trust them absolutely.

Fearghas let himself into the suite Dax and Giva were to occupy while they remained in the hallway. Several minutes passed before Fearghas reappeared in the doorway. “Clear.” He stood back, allowing Giva and Dax to enter.

Giva stepped across the threshold. “Oh, good, they delivered my things from the office.”

Dax nodded toward the Army green duffel bag. “And mine.”

Once Dax cleared the door, Fearghas stepped back out into the hallway. “If you need us for anything, we have the room beside this one.” He tipped his head to the left. “Yell, call or text if you need us. One of us will be on duty through the night.”

“Thanks,” Dax said and closed the door.

When he turned, he found Giva rolling a suitcase through the shared living area toward the bedroom on the right.

“Are we done for the night?” Dax shot at her retreating form.

Still moving toward the bedroom, she said, “After traveling through the night, you could use some rest. I’m not sure what you’ll retain at this point.”

Dax bristled. “I have a mind like a steel trap, regardless of how much sleep I’ve gotten.”

Giva snorted. “Right. Morning will be here soon enough.” She pushed the case into the bedroom, turned to face him and gave him a brief, tight smile. “Goodnight, Evan.”

It took him a second to realize she’d called him by his undercover persona. Quick to respond, he said, “Don’t you think we should practice the PDA side of this relationship, Sasha?”

Her brow dipped, and her lips pressed into a flat line. “No.” She closed the door firmly between them.

Dax chuckled. “Scared?” he called out.

“Not in the least,” she said through the door panel. “I don’t need the practice.”

“Maybe I do,” he goaded. “Shouldn’t we practice together to give a more authentic performance?”

For a long moment, silence reigned. Then the door swung open, and Giva strode across the sitting room like a model on a runway, coming to a stop directly in front of Dax.

He stood his ground, though the aggressive way she approached him led him to believe she might be on a mission to either slap him again or sink a knife into his gut.

“You need practice?” she asked.

His pulse raced through his veins.

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