Page 49 of Seeking Vengeance
Sean pulled on his pants,not bothering to grab a shirt. He waited until Nicki disappeared into the bedroom before remotely disengaging the locks on the lower door.
“Agents Fisher and Brookes, DEA,” the taller one said. “May we come in?”
Sean examined both badges and IDs before allowing them to enter. “What can I do for you?”
One of the men removed his sunglasses and considered Sean for a moment before answering, “We’re looking for Nicolette Milligan. Is she here?”
Nicki? What did the DEA want with her? Did it have something to do with her brother?Christ, he was going to kick that kid’s ass next time he saw him.
While Sean’s mind raced, his face remained calm. He even managed a tight smile. “Well now, why don’t you tell me what you need and maybe I can help you?”
The shorter, stockier agent returned his smile but without a trace of amusement. “Are you aware of the penalty for holding a federal agent captive, Mr. Callaghan?”
Federal agent? Captive? What the fuck?
“Hey, guys,” said a familiar voice as Nicki emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed. She didn’t seem at all surprised to see them.
“Nix.” The tall one nodded with a genuine—and far too affectionate—smile. Fisher, his badge proclaimed.
Sean turned around to face her, his eyes glowing like lasers. “You’re a Fed?”
Nicki had the good sense to blush. “Sort of.”
As she dropped all pretense, Sean got a good look at the real Nicolette Milligan. Strong. Quiet. And impossibly alone.
“I’m sorry, Sean. I couldn’t tell you.”
Son of a fucking bitch.
He’d suspected something but not this. It didn’t make sense. Ian had back doors into every federal database there was, and he’d turned up nothing.
“Does Nick know?”
“No. No one does. Except them.” She flicked her gaze toward the two men waiting patiently and then looked at him. “And now, you.”
Sean felt something rip through his chest. It was at once sad and proud, tentative and hopeful.
“But then, you know all about secrets, don’t you?”
In that moment, he knew that she had just given him a rare gift. Shetrustedhim. Maybe not completely—he doubted anyone was granted that much of a boon—but it was enough. One of the men shifted his weight impatiently at the door, clearly anxious to be on his way.
“You can’t just leave, Nicki,” Sean said.
Nicki was the woman meant for him. She couldn’t leave.
She looked at him again, a sad smile ghosting her lips as she laid her hand on his arm. “You have no idea how much you’ve done for me,” she said softly.
Sean couldn’t help but notice how her eyes were like fluid quicksilver. How could he ever have thought them hard and cold?
“I have to,” she said simply.
Awkward silence fell over them as they stood there in Sean’s living room. The two agents exchanged looks of veiled disbelief with each other. There was no question what he and Nicki had been doing. He looked exactly like a man who had spent the last twelve hours fucking hard, and Nicki, despite the fact that she had cleaned herself up and gotten dressed, did as well. There was no denying the glow on her face or the sexual tension between them.
Sean analyzed both men carefully—their body language, their facial expressions—assessing their relationships with Nicki. They both liked her and respected her. The taller guy had a thing for her, but as far as Sean could discern, it was purely one-sided, and he hid it well. Nicki probably didn’t even know. But Sean did. He caught the taller one’s eye and made sure that the guy got a very clear message. Nicki was his, and he did not share.
Sean flicked a glance back at Nicki; her actions were just as telling. She avoided looking them in the eye. Instead, she looked at their shoulders, smoothed her hoodie, checked out her laces.
Despite the lack of verbal exchange, there was an awful lot being said in that room.
