Page 41 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 2

“She was rather upset this morning when I went into the panic room,” Gideon stated. In my mind, I imagined him pacing the command room.

Mateo chimed in. “Understandable, given the situation. It’s not every day the mafia tries to sink a yacht. But she seemed alright when you guys returned.”

“That’s because I have a way with the ladies.” Chase joked.

I chuckled at Chase’s comment. He certainly did. With that I finished the climb. “He’s not wrong.”

Four sets of male gazes swung my way.

Gideon lifted a dark brow. “Thought you’d sleep longer.”

I shrugged. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Do you think the drones will work?”

“How long were you eaves dropping?” Axel asked, studying me with a frown.

“I didn’t want to interrupt. But long enough to know that you’ve got two drones, and that Santos put tracking devices on the boat.”

The guys grimaced and shot each other wordless glances.

“You weren’t supposed to hear that.” Gideon spoke up first.

I opened my mouth to refute Gideon’s statement. I wasn’t a hot-house flower. Santos coming after me scared me shitless. But that was simply being smart and aware when there was a mafia don stalking me.

“Babe, listen, it’s not that we want to keep you out of the discussion. But we don’t want you to worry about the next steps. It’s our job to keep you safe and determine the best course of action. It’s why you hired us.”

Gideon wasn’t wrong. “I appreciate the sentiment. Truly. Except with everything that has happened, I would feel better understanding the next steps. Simply because he tracked the yacht, and it’s making my anxiety skyrocket. The way around that fear is knowing what comes next.”

Gideon prowled my way until we stood toe to toe. His big body loomed over me, making me feel small and fragile. “I will agree to keep you updated on what we are doing. As long as you understand that when it comes to your safety and that of this vessel, we’re in charge. This is the kind of thing the Marines trained us to handle. And I won’t negotiate on that point.”

It was a small victory on my end. One I would celebrate, if only in my mind. Because I wouldn’t back down. I lived in my husband’s shadow, always afraid of the next slap or punch. Never again. I wouldn’t sit on the sidelines and allow others to make decisions about my life without my input. “I understand and agree. And while I trust you, I might ask questions on why you’re choosing to implement certain tactics, so I understand the logic behind it.”

“I can get on board with that. Anything else?”

Damn. It was good he didn’t know how much I wanted to jump into his arms when he was being all big and bad, because then he would realize he had the upper hand. Instead of jumping his bones, I asked, “How do you guys feel about burgers for dinner?”

A chorus of delight erupted from the guys. Gideon flashed a grin. “You’re incorrigible.”

“And you know you like it.”

He slipped an arm around my waist. “We fucking love it. Burgers sound great.”

***

Gideon

I didn’t like that Kylie overheard us. I hated it. Nor did I care for the fact that she wanted to be kept apprised of the situation. It was better she remained in the dark. As it stood, we’d provide her with the watered-down version. She didn’t need a play-by-play of every maneuver we would make. It had nothing to do with some of it being considered classified. And everything to do with the less she knew, the better.

Once we nabbed Santos, we would confess our secrets and let the chips fall where they may.

Rubbing a frustrated hand over my face. I acted like our relationship would continue once we finished the case. It was doubtful, although not out of the realm of possibilities. But having a relationship as a CIA agent who spent the bulk of their time in the field was difficult at best. And that was the understatement of the century, like saying the sun was merely hot.

Axel stayed down with Kylie after we ate dinner. He was tasked with keeping her occupied while we readied the yacht for our departure. We explained if something happened while we attempted to leave the harbor and Santos found us, Axel would get her to safety. It was one of the reasons he was down with her now. He’d get her onto one of the jet skis and head back to shore. His task from that point on would be to get her into witness protection and be her bodyguard for life. There was no one else I trusted or who was more capable of keeping her safe.

“It’s time. Drone has left the harbor,” Mateo announced, his fingers tapping away at the computer.

I shifted my focus back to the mission. As much as I wanted to nab Santos, without the information from Kylie’s dead husband, he’d walk. We had to reach the Alaska house and gather the information needed to put him away for life. The key and location of the safe deposit box in Nassau where he stashed the diamonds was there too. Diamonds that were part of a collection from Marie Antoinette. They had been on display at the Met before they disappeared. It hadn’t been reported on the news. An exact replica had been put in their stead not to arouse suspicions while we searched for them.

“And?” I glanced over his shoulder at the radar screen.

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