| |
––––––––
SAM SCRUBBED A HAND over his jaw, leaning back in his seat on the private plane, his teammates seated around him. After three days on the ground in Damascus, conducting surveillance and following the movements of several known ISIS members, they still didn’t have details on when the movement of the weapons would occur. It was concerning. If they’d been able to find a location where the munitions were being held, they could’ve raided it. Ended things. The planned ISIS operation was being kept tightly under wraps. They’d never gotten eyes on Mohammad Al Noury either. No doubt he was being careful given that his predecessor had been taken out. He was lying low, and rightfully so. The man was smart enough to realize he was a high value target.
“That drop was neat and tidy,” Gray said from across the aisle. “We didn’t get all the intelligence we hoped for, but handing off Yousef went seamlessly.”
Sam’s gaze flicked to his buddy. “You were worried.”
Gray nodded. “If he’d been caught, he’d have been tortured and killed. They don’t take kindly to traitors.”
“Or finding the enemy snooping around—us,” Sam added needlessly. He hadn’t missed the way Gray had stiffened as he spoke. The guy had demons he never talked about. He held his own on missions, and Sam trusted his buddy with his life, but Gray’s scars were both physical and mental. He didn’t let anyone get too close and would never trust easily. Sometimes Sam was amazed Jett had convinced him to join Shadow Security at all.
“I was worried about the possibility Yousef would turn on us,” Gray admitted. “Something seemed off with the men prowling around at night. What the hell was that bag of cash for?”
“Jett’s not too happy about that loose end,” Ford agreed, leaning toward them. “Our job was to extract Yousef, but no doubt Al Noury’s men retrieved the cash.”
“Or some other lucky asshole,” Gray said. “There were houses all over the place.”
“It’s not like the bag would’ve had someone’s name engraved on it,” Luke pointed out. “We would’ve kept the money from whoever it was intended for, but that wouldn’t give us anything to go on. Yousef was the priority.”
“Let’s just hope Yousef has more intel on the rest of his brother’s operations,” Gray muttered. “Stopping the weapons shipment would’ve been the icing on the cake for that op.”
“What the fuck kind of cakes have you been eating?” Nick joked, causing the others to chuckle.
Gray smirked but shook his head. “Dick. The military can move in when we have the necessary intelligence, but it would’ve been nice to end this shit while we were there—wrap everything up in a nice fucking bow.”
“It’s never ending,” Ford muttered. “We knock one guy down, and another springs up, like a sick game of Whack-a-Mole or something.”
“You okay?” Sam asked, eyeing his buddy.
“Good. Just missing Clara is all,” he added sheepishly. “She worries when we’re gone too long. It’ll be good to get home.”
“She’s got you by the balls,” Nick said with a smirk. “Who knew sweet Clara could have big, bad Ford eating out of her hand?” He elbowed Ford, trying to egg him on.
“Jesus,” Sam said, shaking his head. “You’re probably next, dude, with the way everyone else is shacking up these days. Didn’t you get Blair’s number?”
“That I did, but you’re hardly one to talk,” Nick said.
Sam lifted a shoulder. “I’m single, buddy.”
“Yeah, but the difference is, you don’t want to be.” Sam mulled that over as his friends continued ribbing one another. Sure, Ava was on his mind. Ever since they ran into each other again, it’s like the floodgates had opened. He was always thinking of her, the careful walls he’d built around his memories tumbling down, cracked open by a tiny strawberry-blonde. His mind began to drift, stuck on a memory from Mexico a couple of months ago when they’d fled the burning nightclub.
Ava looked up at him with fear in her eyes, but Sam gripped her hand tightly. “We have to get out of here, princess.”
“But Wren—”
“Luke will take care of her. We need to split up from them in case we’re being followed. I’ll get you back to the hotel.”
She nodded, those big blue eyes wide, and hurried along at his side, pressing close. He shifted his grip on her hand, wrapping one arm around her slender shoulders. Ava was so much damn smaller than him. He could push her to the ground and shield her with his body if needed. Protect her no matter what.
Sam glanced back over his shoulder and then moved her along, his gaze sweeping the area.
Ava clung to him as they crossed the busy street. A small flicker of warmth filled his chest. She might still be angry at him, but deep down, she trusted him to keep her safe. She hadn’t protested, hadn’t fought him. She’d simply let him get her away from danger.
Sam hailed a cab and held Ava close as it came to a stop.
“You’re trembling,” he said quietly.
“We could’ve been killed in that explosion,” she whispered urgently, growing upset. Sirens still wailed in the distance, the blaze lighting up the night sky, and as Ava looked up at him, he swiped a stray tear that rolled down her cheek.
“Don’t cry,” he said gruffly.
“I’m not. I’m fine,” she said, taking a deep breath and steeling herself. She swiped at her tears as Sam’s big hands gently gripped her shoulders, steadying her. Their eyes locked for a moment, their connection undeniable even then. Ava was so close, her soft curves almost pressing up against him. Her lips parted in surprise as Sam strained to hold himself back.
He’d almost kissed her. He’d almost fucking kissed her right there on the street in Cancun. It was so wrong as far as timing went but also could’ve been so right. The cab came to a stop and that was it. The moment was over. He’d helped her to climb inside, and then they were on their way, Ava trying to hold herself together.
“Did you ever get a full name for the guy?” Luke asked.
“Huh?” Sam asked. Clearly, he’d missed out on most of the conversation. His teammates had been talking as he’d let his mind wander. Now everyone was looking at him, the plane quiet.
“The man Ava is working for,” Luke clarified. “I called Wren when we stopped in Germany, and she’d spoken with Ava a few days ago. I guess Ava mentioned you wanted to look into him.”
“Not yet,” he said with a frown. “I figured I’d touch base when we got back to the States.” Sam scrubbed a hand over his jaw, thinking.
“Mohammad’s a common name,” Luke said.
“What?” Sam asked, his gaze flashing to his friend.
“Wren thought the man’s first name was Mohammad.”
“Mohammad?” Sam asked, irritation rising within him. “Shit. What if it’s Mohammad Al Noury?”
“The leader of ISIS in Syria? Don’t be crazy, man,” Gray said. “That name is as common as hell in the Middle East. It’s like the name John in America or something. It’s not the same guy.”
“Ava never gave me a last name,” Sam pointed out.
Luke frowned, looking between the two men. “See what you can find out from her when we land. Get a last name. I agree, however. His first name alone means nothing. It’s too common to be anything but a coincidence. Besides, she’s in Cairo. Yousef told us that his brother was in Syria. They want to move weapons to Egypt, but there’s no reason he’d physically go there.”
“Yeah. You’re right,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I still don’t trust this guy—whoever her Mohammad is. He hired her to make some fancy sculptures in downtown Cairo and then had her sitting around for weeks with nothing to do.”
“Why is that?” Gray asked, looking confused.
“There was a delay in securing the materials,” Sam explained. “But Ava thought they were closely watching her.”
“She’s an attractive woman,” Gray said.
“That’s not it. She ended up getting a new cell phone because she was worried they’d bugged the old one or were tracking her with it. She’s an artist. They’d have no reason to closely monitor her like that.”
“Huh. That does sound odd. But she’s staying there in Cairo even with nothing to do?”
“I offered to come get her,” Sam admitted. “I’m sure she doesn’t want to quit the job, but last we spoke, she hadn’t even started it yet.”
“Are you worried she can’t leave Egypt?” Ford asked, looking over at him.
“I honestly don’t know what to think. There are a lot of red flags. I’d feel better if she were back in the States, but that’s not my call. As Ava none-so-delicately told me, I lost my chance to have any say in what she does.”
“You sure have a way with the ladies,” Nick said.
Sam muttered a curse and took a swig of his water. He was tired and sore from trekking around Syria and didn’t need his friends razzing him. He was worried about Ava though. Something was off about the situation, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
