Page 105 of Iron Willed Warrior

Then we met Trace by the front door, far enough from the car that we’d be out of Westwick’s earshot. I was dead on my feet, but Cole’s hand on my lower back steadied me.

“Good to see you both,” Trace said. He clapped Cole on the shoulder, then me. “Charlotte has been messaging usconstantly for updates. River was very happy to report to her that you’d called in.”

His mention of my best friend set off a pang of longing in my chest. I had no idea when I would see Charlotte again, but hopefully it would be soon. “Good to see you too,” I said to Trace. “I was expecting River, though. Since he was our Protectors liaison for this mission.”

Trace nodded. “I was already at River’s apartment when Cole called in. You uploaded the virus. Nice work. Riv woke me up the minute his computer started dinging with notifications, and I left him back in Hartley to do his hacker thing.”

“That was all Brynn,” Cole said. “She barely needed me there at all.”

I shook my head, smirking.

“What kind of shape is our prisoner in?” Trace asked.

Cole squinted at the car. “We’ve treated him better than most human trafficking victims get. He’s not bleeding, and he has no broken bones that I’m aware of. Aside from the fact that he’s breathing, I don’t have much to say about it.”

“Is this a Protectors safe house?” I asked.

“Ah, no.” Trace scrubbed a large palm over his beard. “It was provided by a mutual associate. Someone who’s waiting anxiously inside to see you, Brynn.”

“Me?” It couldn’t be Charlotte. There was no way the lieutenant governor would risk coming here.

But the moment I walked in and saw his face, I realized I should’ve known.

“Michael? What are you doing here?”

Stanford stood in the entryway, arms crossed over his button-down and blazer. He frowned like I was late for a debrief. “Surprised to see me? What did you expect after cutting off all communication during a dangerous mission? You thought I would just shrug and not call the Protectorsdemanding to know what happened to my agent? You’re lucky I didn’t drive down to Arizona my damn self.”

“It got complicated.”

“No doubt. Now, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to give me a hug? I know it’s not our style to get sappy, but I was about scared to death for you, Brynn.” He opened his arms, and I let him wrap me in a hug. “I took some personal time and made a quiet vacation down here to southern Colorado,” Stanford said. “Hell of a relief when I heard your partner finally called in. You’re all right?”

“Good enough. I’m sorry.”

Stanford patted me on the back. I pulled away just as it was starting to get awkward.

Then I realized Cole was standing behind me, still in the doorway. An unreadable expression on his handsome face. “Hisagent?” Cole asked slowly.

Shit. This was the worst possible way for Cole to find out. “It’s not how it seems. I?—”

Trace chose that moment to come inside, stepping between me and Cole. “When Agent Stanford offered his resources, we weren’t sure at first. But last night, it became clear that your op had gotten a lot bigger than we’d expected. Stanford was already at this safe house waiting for word on your whereabouts, Brynn. It made sense.”

“The minute I learned about Stillwater’s solar plant in Arizona and what you found there, I assembled a strike team of agents,” Stanford said. “They’re already on their way to the location. On the surface, they’re responding to an anonymous tip about a kidnapping. But they’ll also be cleaning up the mess you left behind.”

“What about the prisoner we brought with us?” I asked, an incredulous laugh bubbling from my chest. I was too tired. Too frustrated to sugarcoat anything. “Cole and I have no intention of turning Westwick over to the FBI. I told Colethis was a Protectors mission, and yes, I was supposed to send reports to you, but I’ll be damned if I let the Bureau take over now and wind up setting Westwick free. Not after everything the man has done.”

At that, Cole turned and walked away, heading down a hallway deeper into the house. A door closed softly. I almost followed him, but Stanford put a hand gently on my arm, making me stay.

“Trace and I already came to an agreement,” Stanford said. “This is still under the purview of the FBI task force, and I have a blank check from on high to make our Stillwater problems go away. As far as I’m concerned, that includes letting the Protectors handle any prisoner who may or may not be here.”

I looked to Trace for confirmation. “What about the part River is working on?” River’s virus would deliver an untold amount of intel about Stillwater. The FBI would want it.Stanfordwould want it. I admired my former boss, not just as an agent, but as someone who’d treated me like family. But it wasn’t like him to turn over that kind of control to a vigilante group. Stanford himself had told me not to trust the Protectors. Had so much changed?

Trace nodded. “Given last night’s events, Michael and I have come to an agreement. I know how unhappy Cole is about working with a federal agency. River told me. But Riv and I were CIA. Trust me, we can handle the Bureau. Wouldn’t be our first time in shark-infested waters.” He smiled at my former boss. “No offense meant, special agent in charge.”

“None taken whatsoever.” Stanford snorted a laugh. He turned to me. “Am I to understand you bonded with your partner during the course of the mission? That’s what it sounds like. Perhaps you bonded a bit too much.”

I gave him a warning glare. “You’re not my boss anymore. Or my father.”

Trace coughed. “Brynn, you and Cole have both earned a rest before we debrief. Michael and I will escort the prisoner somewhere quiet. Someplace more conducive to…getting acquainted.”

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