Page 31 of Croatia Collateral

“I learned when I was in my twenties.” He nodded. “I can understand how it could be easier when you’re a child.” He glanced across at Giva. “I know Fearghas will follow me wherever the directions say. And, if we head into Old Town, Peter will be there as well.” He pressed his lips together for a moment. “What about you? Will you stay with Dmytro and monitor communications.”

Her brow furrowed. “No.”

“I’ll go where you go.” She waved a hand. “Undercover, of course, but I’ll follow you until I can’t.”

Dax’s frown deepened. “I’d rather you stayed with Dmytro.”

Her dark brows descended. “Not happening.”

“You’ll be safer with Dmytro than wandering through the streets of Dubrovnik.”

“I don’t care about being safe. We need to be as close as possible in case you need us.”

Dax shook his head. “If they capture you, they’ll use you as leverage against me.”

“Then you must not consider my safety in that scenario. I choose to stay involved. If my involvement places my life in danger, that is my choice and my problem, not yours.” She stepped up to him. “Your job is to determine what they have planned, get out and let the rest of us know what it is so we can stop it. What happens to me is not important.”

Dax raised a hand and cupped her cheek. “But that’s the problem. What happens to you is important. You are important.” He leaned closer, lowering his head toward hers, his lips hovering so close he could kiss her.

“You can’t be concerned about one person. If what they are planning will annihilate thousands or millions, what happens to me is inconsequential.” She covered his hand resting on her cheek and turned to kiss his palm. “Your mission is critical. Don’t lose focus.”

“Sweetheart,” he whispered, “it’s too late. I’ve completely lost focus. It’s all on you.”

She stared up into his eyes, her brow knitted. “Then get it back. Do I have to spit in your face or kick you in the crotch to bring you back to reality?” The crease in her brow deepened. “I will, if that’s what it takes.”

Dax chuckled. “No, that won’t be necessary. I need to be able to walk out of this room when the time comes. I’ll do my job. You don’t have to worry about that. I just don’t want you to be collateral damage if shit hits the fan.”

“I can take care of myself.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Can you?”

He nodded and then shook his head. “Not where you’re concerned. I can’t seem to push you out of my thoughts. Not for a second.”

Giva bit her lip and stared up into Dax’s eyes. “You have to let me go. What you’re doing is what counts.”

He bent and brushed his lips across hers. “I know. But what does it hurt to kiss you one last time?”

She sighed. “Not a damn thing.” Giva reached up, wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him closer, pressing her body against his.

Their lips met in a soul-defining kiss that robbed Dax of his breath. He didn’t care. Didn’t need to breathe. Not as long as he held Giva in his arms. She was everything he hadn’t known he needed in a woman.

If things went south on this mission, he’d never see her again. Hell, the Nexus Collective might make an example out of him. They might use him as a poster child for what happens when an outsider infiltrates their happy little group. And if that wasn’t harsh enough, they might capture Giva and threaten to harm her to get Dax to talk.

“Please, stay with Dmytro,” Dax begged.

“I can’t promise that,” she said, applying pressure to the back of his neck, urging him to kiss her again.

He held back, staring down into her eyes. “Why didn’t I meet you sooner?” he said, stroking her cheek with his fingers. “We could’ve ignored any efforts by the Brotherhood Protectors to operate this mission.”

“We can’t back out now,” Giva whispered, her gaze locked on his.

“No,” he said, his heart plummeting into the pit of his belly. “We can’t.”

Giva drew in a deep breath, leaned up on her toes and kissed his lips in a light sweep of her mouth.

Dax drew her into his arms and held her close.

Giva’s body melted into his as she wrapped her arms around his neck and one of her calves around the back of his thigh.

She felt warm, alive and excited in Dax’s arms as his mouth claimed hers in a kiss that said everything he was afraid to say. They’d been strangers until two days before. He only knew the basics about her. It didn’t matter.

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