Page 59 of Sniper

“That’s dangerous, don’t you think?” It could end up being a stupid fucking mistake.

“That’s kind of the point,” Slate shot back. “Diesel said we were tired of waiting for them to attack, so we’re forcing their hand.”

“Are you telling me assholes this rich don’t have a resident computer geek on staff?” Maverick shook his head, incredulous and disgusted.

“Doesn’t seem like it. My guess is they hire independent contractors just in case anybody comes close to figuring out what they’re into.” Slate shrugged. “Either way, they’re extra vulnerable. While you guys go after them, I’m going to do my thing on this end. Questions?”

“Yeah,” Rebel groaned. “How long are we gonna have to wait?”

“How long would you wait to attack if someone stole millions from you,” he shot back with a smug grin.

“Right, we need to prepare now and stay ready,” Diesel instructed. He stood and issued orders to each of us. “And when I say don’t leave a man behind, I fucking mean it.” He glared at me, and I nodded to let him know I heard him.

Loud and clear.

This shit would be dealt with by the end of the week and then I’d have plenty of time to convince Katey to stay.

I hoped.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Katey

“We’re finishing this. Tonight.” Sniper held my face in his hands like I was a precious crystal, so gentle and so tender tears pricked my eyes. “I promise.”

I believed him or maybe I justwantedto believe him. “You’ll be careful, right?” It was a silly question, I realized. The man had made it in a warzone in a foreign country as well as the streets of Steel City, of course he would be careful.

“I’m coming back to you, I promise. You still haven’t admitted that you care about me too.”

“Of course I care,” I rolled my eyes. “You’re my husband. And well… we’ve been through hell together, you’ve grown on me.” The truth was, I hadn’t stopped thinking about the words he’d said to me yesterday. They’d played on a loop in my mind so often that it was hard to tell if it was his words, or simply his voice saying words I wanted to hear.

“But do you love me?”

“Hey Katey, there’s someone here to see you.” Harper stood a few feet away from us with a wary expression on her face.

“Cal!” I was excited at the prospect of seeing my brother. He had no idea about everything that had gone down over the past few days and telling him now that everything was over—almost—would be kind of fun.

“It’s not a guy. It’s a woman, well really a girl.” Her brows dipped in confusion.

“A girl?” I looked at Harper, and then Sniper. “I don’t have any friends so who could it be?”

“I’ll come with you,” Sniper offered and took my hand in his.

I let out a few deep breaths and gave his hand a squeeze. My heart raced as my feet moved, one foot in front of the other, until the sun temporarily blinded me.

“You know her?” Sniper’s voice was a low hum in my ear that sent a shiver down my spine.

I blinked away the sun until my eyes were able to focus on the young woman walking towards me. She had long, wavy brown hair that hung around her shoulders and big golden eyes. “No.” The word left my mouth, just as my legs stopped moving as I realized I did know her.

“Problem?” Sniper’s hand went to my lower back, his voice a protective whisper.

“No problem,” I managed to squeak out just as she stopped in front of me. “It’s you,” I whimpered, and my legs buckled but Sniper was right there to hold me up.

Her smile was bright and radiant, the haunted look in her golden eyes no longer there. “So I guess you do remember me, Dr. Blake.”

I nodded and took a hesitant step forward. “Oh my… look at you, so grown up.” Seeing her here like this made it all seem like a lifetime ago, to the point I couldn’t remember if it had been two years ago or ten since I last saw her.

“My name is Tamara now and I’ve been looking for you for a while to say thank you. Dr. Blake you saved my life.” She took a hesitant step forward before she found her courage and wrapped me in a hug. She was thinner than she looked, but healthy. “If you hadn’t saved me, who knows what my life would look like now.”

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