Page 12 of Second Chance Savior

“A shot of whiskey?” I held up my hand. “Kidding. Getting drunk is the last thing in the world I should do. What I should be asking is ifyouneed anything. I interrupted your night.”

Brynn had come straight to my condo, picked me up, and brought me back here to her house. MeandCleo, who’d protested mightily at being put in her carrier. The poor diva. But if I was truly in danger, Brynn was exactly the kind of friend I needed.

“You didn’t interrupt much. Just catching up on reports and eating leftovers.”

“Sounds like my night before it got too exciting. And not in a good way.”

“Yeah. What’s this about a threat?” She sat in the chair across from me, one long leg crossing over the other. Brynnwas in jeans and a hoodie, yet there was still an aura of elegance about her.

But appearances were deceiving.

We’d met at an archery range. That day, Brynn had cut an impressive figure. Statuesque, her long black hair tied into a high ponytail. Nearly every person in the place had been staring at her, in awe, as she shot a near perfect score from sixty yards. I hadn’t done so badly myself. Afterward, we’d gotten to chatting, and we’d been close ever since.

Brynn was an ex-Marine. A total badass and one of the toughest people I’d ever known. And currently a Special Agent in the FBI’s Denver field office.

“A family friend got in touch tonight,” I said. “He told me I’m in danger. That’s why I called and sounded so freaked out.”

“Actually, I thought you sounded pretty calm for someone who’d just learned about a threat against her.” Brynn smiled. “Take your time. Start at the beginning.”

“For this to make any sense, you need to know something about the man who contacted me. River.”

River. Just saying his name sent a cascade of complicated feelings along my nerve endings.

I couldn’t start at the true beginning. That had been more than eighteen years ago, and there’d be way too much to cover. Brynn was being a sympathetic friend, but this chat wasn’t entirely informal, despite our surroundings. I had no doubt she’d be analyzing my every word.

I gave her the quick version of our history. Summers spent at my parents’ house in the mountains. My relationship with his brother, which had ended years ago. River’s military service and his work overseas at various embassies, when I assumed he’d been a spy.

“He told me he’s gone private, but I don’t know if that’s as a military contractor or what. River said he somehowlearned I’m in danger. Apparently, Stillwater plans to assassinate me in the next few days.”

Her brows shot up. “Stillwater? Our office has been looking into them, and we haven’t even confirmed that the organization exists.”

“I know.”

“Did he say where he got this intel?”

“He promised to explain when he arrived. Apparently, he’s heading to Denver now. But this is ridiculous. Don’t you think? Even if I knew him once, I don’t now. Not at all. Yet he contacts me out of the blue and commands me to wait there at home for him to arrive. Never mind the fact that I hadn’t shared my address. I told him no. I can’t accept what he says at face value.”

“You don’t trust him?”

“I trust him not to hurt me.” I didn’t believe River would hurt my career intentionally, and of course he’d never harm me physically. As for theotherways he had hurt me, that was in the past. And probably not something River was aware of.

“Do you trust him to tell you the truth?”

“I…” My teeth sank into my lower lip. “I don’t know.”

Brynn folded her arms and tilted her head thoughtfully. Her ponytail draped over her shoulder. “Even if he’s not with the Agency any longer, he’ll have contacts. It also sounds like he’s skilled with computers.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“Then it’s likely River’s sources are reliable. Think about the last few weeks. Have you noticed anything unusual? Anything concerning? A sense you’re being watched, maybe. Unusual messages or comments online. Hints that someone’s been hanging around your car, your building. Keeping track of your movements.”

I ran through my recent memories. “Ihavebeen stressedmore than usual. I thought it was work stuff. But maybe it’s not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just a feeling of being off. A shorter fuse than normal.”

Brynn looked like she was trying not to smile. “You’re always at least alittlegrumpy, Char.”

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