Page 17 of Iron Willed Warrior

Of course, nothing about Cole Bailey had proved to beeasyso far. I hadn’t spoken to him since he’d called me “honey” that afternoon. And I didn’t intend to. Not until he’d learned some basic civility. He’d been nice enough when I was a damsel with a flat tire, but the idea of me as his commanding officer? Nope, that had been too much for him to take.

Neon lights and classic rock spilled from the bar upahead. When I walked inside, I found a mixture of skiers and hipsters mingling around tables and playing darts.

I spotted Keira right away. She stood up from a stool at a high-top table, waving me over.

“Good, you found it,” she said over the music, leaning in for a quick hug. She’d changed out of her deputy uniform and into a pair of dark jeans, a chunky turtleneck sweater, and hoop earrings. Her curly hair was piled into a poof on top of her head.

“It wasn’t that hard to find. Silver Ridge isn’t exactly New York.”

“Or even Denver?”

Smiling, I took off my coat and draped it over my stool before I sat down. “I like the town so far. All the fresh, cold air cleared my head. I needed it.”

“Uh oh. Does that mean the afternoon meeting with Cole didn’t go well?”

“Ha. That’s an understatement. Are you sure you like that guy? There’s not another Cole Bailey running around with the same face but a completely different personality?”

“Not unless he’s got an evil twin.” Keira nodded toward the bar. “Which Cole do you think that is? The good one or the bad one?”

I shifted on my stool to look. And groaned.

Really? He couldn’t find another bar in Silver Ridge?

Cole was taking off his coat and pulling up a seat at the bar. Must’ve walked in right after me. Was the guy following me around like some creeper? But then his head swiveled, taking in the surroundings, and our eyes met. He was surprised to see me too. I felt my frown deepen.

He turned away first.

Guess what, honey. I’m not feeling too keen on you either.

Keira whistled. “Nowthere’ssome animosity. Dang. I canfeel it from across the room. I thought you two had smoothed things over.”

“We did. But it got bumpy again after you left.”

“What happened?”

“Cole doesn’t like that I was FBI. Or…anything else about me, apparently.”

This mission wouldn’t even exist without the work of the FBI task force. If the other Protectors were fine with my FBI pedigree, what did it matter to Cole? Our undercover mission would be off the Bureau’s books. Itwouldbe a Protectors mission, like I’d said.

Well, more or less.

Okay, I’d fudged a bit there. I had told Cole I wouldn’t report to anyone within the FBI. I’d failed to mention my daily reports to SAC Stanford. But keeping Stanford updated wasn’t the same asansweringto him. Even if Stanford might try to issue orders. I didn’t have to accept them.

I wasn’t an FBI agent right now. But I wasn’t really a Protector, either. I’d promised Stanford that I wouldn’t let down my guard during this mission, and I would keep my word.

This alliance was tenuous already. With Cole Bailey in the mix? It felt impossible.

“He’s a hot head,” I said. “Even worse, he’s the kind of alpha who’s happy to rescue a woman, but balks at taking orders from one.”

“Huh. I didn’t get that impression from Cole before. Seemed like he had no problem working with women.”

“All I know isIcan’t work with him.”

“I thought the Protectors didn’t have anyone else to replace him as your partner.” She propped her elbows on the table. It was noisy, and we were keeping our voices down, so I wasn’t concerned about being overheard.

“They don’t. I haven’t got anyone in mind either, andthere’s no time to bring in someone else anyway.” Not to mention, we’d already created fake identity papers for Cole’s cover. It wouldn’t be easy to get new ones. “My only remaining option is to go it alone.”

“Alone? Against—” Keira glanced around us, then whispered, “Stillwater?”

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